


A Consort’s Choice

by Frostanity



Category: Books of the Raksura - Martha Wells
Genre: F/M, Raksura Politics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-11 17:10:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13528821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frostanity/pseuds/Frostanity
Summary: Post-series. Consolation and her flight are settled in and beginning to thrive. Now they seek a consort. Some in Opal Night favor the idea, others don't, and Shade is trapped in the middle. Moon meddles because he can.





	1. Chapter 1 - Shade

**Author's Note:**

> I had to name a couple new characters because, for example, the books don't give names for the other young consorts at Opal Night. These original characters include: Breeze (consort), Whirlwind (queen), Topaz (warrior), and Third (Fell).

 

Chapter 1  
Shade

Warriors were the worst gossips in a Raksura court, Shade thought sourly. While Arbora were highly effective at passing news around, they also had the sense to shut up when they overheard something too sensitive to share. Warriors, however, had no such common sense.

Malachite, Opal Night’s reigning queen, and Consolation, the half-Raksura queen that led the Fell flight that had become their closest neighbor, had apparently had a highly personal conversation earlier in the day. A warrior had overheard part of this conversation and immediately told everybody about it, which was why Shade was staying in his bower and absolutely not coming out. If he got hungry, he could eat the dried fruits and nuts he liked to keep in his bower as reading snacks.

Flicker, Shade’s favorite warrior, crept in. “Have you heard…?” he began cautiously.

“How could I not?” Shade said. He gestured vaguely towards the other consorts’ bowers beyond his own. “They’ve been gossiping about it all morning, very loudly and at tedious length.”

Flicker winced. “Do you want me to tell them to quiet down?”

“It won’t change anything,” Shade said with a sigh. If he wanted to silence the other consorts and their favorites, he needed only come out of his bower. He could imagine their stares, their embarrassment, their well-meant apologies.

Flicker was silent a while, sitting on the floor by the hearth. “I can’t believe she dared to ask Malachite that.”

“She asked about consorts in general and the lot of you are acting like she asked Malachite if she could have me!”

Consolation knew he existed, a half-Fell just like her, but also knew better than to even speak his name. She’d merely asked Malachite if she, the reigning queen of a Fell flight, had any chance of ever attracting a willing Raksura consort, and if so, how. It was not an unreasonable question or an unreasonable concern for a young queen under pressure to find a way to secure her court’s—her flight’s—future.

“Still too close,” Flicker said uneasily. “She’s lucky Malachite didn’t take exception.”

Shade found it strange that so many people in his own court couldn’t see past Malachite’s cold exterior. She was a terrifying force when she wanted to be, but she was nothing but patient and protective with fledglings and Moon had described Consolation as “barely more than a fledgling.” As long as Consolation threatened no one and made efforts to learn, Malachite would not harm her.

“I do feel a little sorry for Consolation,” Shade admitted. “She’s young, inexperienced and alone.” Consolation had two rulers, the Fell equivalent of consorts, and at least one half-Arbora dakti who acted as an advisor, but none of them knew any more than she did about establishing a Raksura-style colony or how to manage it.

Flicker sat up in evident alarm. “You don’t mean--”

It was un-consort-like to hiss in anger and rebuke but Shade did it anyway. Flicker should know better.

Many whispered about the possibility Shade might like to meet Consolation one day, but only when neither Shade nor Malachite were anywhere near to hear and take exception. Shade knew anyway because his Arbora friends told him such things. Those whisperers simply didn’t understand his history with Fell. He didn’t think he could be anywhere near them ever again.

Besides, it would be cruel to give Consolation any sort of hope. Since he had no intention of becoming her consort, it was best if he never met her.

 

*

“Shade?”

“Hm?” Shade looked up from his book to find Flicker standing nearby. He hadn’t heard Flicker land because he was sitting near a small, noisy waterfall. “You’re up early today.” When he’d left his bower Flicker had still been deeply asleep in the hanging bed.

“I didn’t want to be,” Flicker said grumpily, crouching next to him. “A warrior woke me to say he had a message.”

Shade didn’t like the way Flicker had glanced around before speaking that last sentence, as if this were a matter of delicacy. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know exactly. The message is from Breeze. He would like to meet for a picnic outside the colony. The warrior says Breeze wants to ask you some questions, but is afraid that he’ll be in trouble if anyone overhears because his birthqueen disapproves of, well, you.” Flicker winced a little as he said that, but Shade was long past any hurt feelings about his ancestry. If some people chose not to associate with him because of it—quietly, because openly shunning him would catch Malachite’s attention—it was no loss of his.

“What kind of picnic?” Somehow he doubted everybody was invited.

“It would include Breeze, his warrior, and his clutchmate Whirlwind to keep us safe. He would prefer if you didn’t bring more than one favorite. I suppose he means me.”

“That sounds rather excessive.”

“Young consorts can be a little excessive sometimes,” Flicker said diplomatically. What he meant was that some young consorts were empty-headed fools prone to flights of fancy and not much given to deep thinking.

Shade frowned in thought. The consorts of Onyx’s line rarely sought him out and while he knew who Breeze was, he couldn’t recall much else. “Is Breeze the one who got in trouble last turn for fighting with another consort?”

The court had spent the last two turns gossiping so much about their new Fell neighbors that everything else tended to be forgotten quickly, even something as unusual as a young consort getting in a physical altercation with another.

“Yes, that’s him.”

“Hmm.”

Shade had the feeling that his half clutchmate Moon, if asked about this peculiar situation, would immediately suspect a trap. And he might not be entirely wrong, though Shade couldn’t quite see what kind of trap it was meant to be. Not a physical one—even an unusually confrontational consort would shy away from his bigger and stronger scaled form—but a political one was quite possible.

Shade kept this line of thought to himself because Flicker would be alarmed by it and try to stop him from going. But he found he was intrigued, even excited, by the prospect of foiling somebody plan to make themselves look good (or make someone else look bad). The person behind this ploy was almost certainly a daughter-queen looking to raise her status in the court, though he knew better than to believe consorts never participated in questionable tactics to position themselves better in the court or attract a desirable queen’s eye. Opal Night was an unusually large court and that meant fierce competition among those who craved status.

“We’ll go,” Shade decided.

Flicker seemed skeptical. “Are you sure?”

“Aren’t you curious? When someone tries this hard to keep something secret, it must be interesting.”

And possibly a tiny bit dangerous, but his yardstick for danger was much different ever since he’d been kidnapped and mistreated by a Fell flight. Compared to that, being attacked by a gutripper, or some other predator of the suspended forest, would be nothing but a bit of excitement.

“Fine,” Flicker said. “Anything else you want me to say?”

“Say that I’m only available this afternoon,” Shade said, quickly thinking up an excuse. “I heard the Arbora hunters would be out in force today because the hot weather is likely to be interrupted by a massive storm within a day or two. I wouldn’t like to be caught in it.” If this picnic invitation was the opening gambit to some nefarious plan, he didn’t want them to have too much time to think things over.

“Got it,” Flicker said.

Rolling up his book, Shade got to his feet. “I’ll be in my bower getting changed.”

 

*

The rendezvous point made for a short flight, but it was far enough to be out of sight and hearing of the warriors patrolling the area around the colony. The chosen platform was small and held only low cropped vegetation so nothing dangerous could sneak up on them.

A teapot was already set upon a small fire, watched by a young consort who was in turn watched by a warrior.

The young consort bounced up to them as they landed. “You came!” He checked himself. “We don’t know each other very well, so I’ll introduce myself. I’m Breeze, of Onyx and Umber’s line. That’s my clutchmate Whirlwind up there,” he said, indicating the blue-scaled queen standing watch on a spare branch overlooking their platform, “and this warrior is my favorite Topaz.”

Topaz, a warrior with bight yellow scales, moved his spines in polite greeting but mostly kept his attention on their surroundings. Shade was surprised, which wasn’t very kind of him. His favorite was also a smart, dependable warrior—Flicker was already mirroring Topaz, watching the opposite direction.

“Please, come sit down,” Breeze said. “I have some food but there’s no meat because the smell could attract something we don’t want to meet.”

The consorts sat in the fragrant grass in their soft-skinned shapes while the warriors stood watch in their scaled shapes.

The food offerings included seedcakes, fruits, and spiced roots. Shade nibbled at the fruit and drank of the tea sparingly, making sure Breeze drank more of it than he did. The odds that Breeze or anyone else would try to poison him were vanishingly small, but, then again, an Arbora of his own court had once tried to poison his half clutchmate Moon.

Shade scrutinized Breeze as they made small talk; he was possibly a little short for a consort, standing shorter than his favorite, but he otherwise had the lean looks, sharp cheekbones, and elegant manners common to all the consorts of Onyx’s line. Those consorts also tended towards arrogance but so far that didn’t seem an issue with Breeze, who chatted away amiably and enthusiastically, as if he were truly eager to befriend Shade.

Breeze was wearing no jewelry other than an intricate armband and his outfit was sensible for an outing, nothing overly delicate or hard to clean. He didn’t at all seem like someone up to no good.

“So,” Shade prompted. “What’s so sensitive you don’t want anyone to overhear us talking about it?”

Breeze ducked his head. “I, ah. Whirlwind is mad at me for this, which is why she’s staying up there. I, you see… I think I’d like to meet the Fellborn queen. I think…maybe I’d like to go with her.”

Shade stared. “Why?”

“I don’t get along with the other consorts very well,” Breeze muttered. “I’d be nice to go to a small court.”

“There’s plenty of regular Raksura courts that would love a consort from our bloodlines.” He didn’t want to imply Consolation was the worst choice available, but there were certainly easier options.

Breeze shrank, huddling in on himself in shame. “I…ruined my chances. After last turn’s incident, my birthqueen says I need to settle down. She thinks I’m too headstrong for a consort and it’d be an embarrassment if I went to another court only to be sent back.” He sighed. “I know I did the wrong thing. It didn’t improve anything.”

“Remind me what happened. I heard you fought another consort, but not what he did to provoke you.”

“We were told not to talk about it,” Breeze said testily. He shook himself, defiance entering his tone. “But I’ll tell you. I caught Gale’s favorites warriors hurting Topaz while Gale watched. So I jumped him.” Breeze straightened as his indignation rose. “He egged his favorites on, I know he did! Those useless warriors like to pick on Topaz because all his close relatives are Arbora and aren’t around to defend him. The warriors separated us before I got very far but I told Gale that if his favorites ever bothered Topaz again I’d bite his throat out.”

“Have then bothered Topaz again?”

“No.”

“Good,” Shade said. “Maybe it wasn’t the best solution, but it’s still success.” This was probably Moon’s influence on him, but he was growing to believe that judiciously applied violence could be a very effective tool for a consort dealing with brain-dead warriors. Apparently it could also be useful when dealing with brain-dead consorts.

“Thank you.” Breeze looked away. “It’s not that I regret it, exactly, but it gives me a reputation. I don’t think Consolation would mind, though. Fell rulers are like half-consort, half-warrior. I could fit in.”

“You seem to have made up your mind. What did you need me for?”

“I want to know what the Fell are like. You’ve been near them, haven’t you?”

Shade tried not to go rigid, but the mere mention of it brought back memories he would give much to forget. “You’re not asking the right person about that. The Fell I met were terrible.”

“I know; that’s what I want to hear about. I already spoke with the Arbora who are helping the dakti learn to cultivate orchards and garden. They sound…okay. I want to know what are the signs things are not well. Please.”

Because it was a reasonable request, Shade made an effort and purposefully dwelled into those uncomfortable memories. “They lied a lot, even if it was evident they were lying. It’s like they thought that saying it should make it true. Their emotions were never quite right either, as if they had to practice to show them. Or have them. It’s hard to explain, but easy to spot once you see it happen.”

To his credit, Breeze listened intently. “But Consolation isn’t that way, is she?”

“I don’t think so,” Shade said grudgingly. “Moon said she was like a fledgling queen, in her temper and her logic. And she saved one of her rulers from Moon. That’s nothing like the Fell I met.”

“What else?”

“Fell, true Fell, are dirty. They don’t care about hygiene. They’ll wear nice clothes they steal from groundlings but they won’t clean them or care for them. They don’t even bother to clean off the blood of their victims, they just go around smelling of rot.”

Breeze wrinkled his nose. “That’s revolting! I can’t imagine the smell.”

“I think the part where they eat people is worse than the smell,” Shade said drily.

They spoke a little further, then let a comfortable silence fall as Breeze contemplated his tea. By then Shade felt safe enough to get a second cup of tea to sip as he relaxed and enjoyed the wind on his soft groundling skin.

“If…if I want to meet Consolation, will you help me?” Breeze grimaced. “My clutchmates have already told me they absolutely refuse to go behind Malachite’s back. And it wouldn’t be a bright idea to just fly myself over there. What if I don’t like her? She might try to take me anyway. Even if she’s nice, she’s a lonely queen.”

“I don’t think you should go behind Malachite’s back either,” Shade said, rather alarmed by the idea.

“But will you speak with Malachite for me? Convince her to give Consolation a chance? I just want to see what she’s like in person. Maybe she’ll repulse me, I don’t know. But I don’t think so.” Breeze reached over and touched Shade’s wrist. “You’re half-Fell, too, and it doesn’t bother me at all.”

Shade didn’t know whether to be touched or vaguely insulted, so he focused on the request. He rather suspected that this was the real reason Breeze had brought him here, to gain his sympathy and his help with Malachite. “I suppose I could try…”

Flicker’s hiss was loud and angry. Shade immediately shifted to his winged form, in case there was danger, but Breeze only furrowed his brows as they both followed Flicker’s gaze upward.

Shade was somehow unsurprised to glimpse a black-scaled person gliding their way. It couldn’t be a consort, because no consort would be out alone. It couldn’t be a Fell ruler either, because they wouldn’t dare cross into Opal Night’s territory. It could only be Consolation.

She was alone, which was the only reason Shade ignored the gut feeling urging him to flee. Instead he forced himself to breathe deeply and change back to groundling form. Malachite did not think Consolation was a threat and he trusted her judgment.

Breeze gasped. “Oh no, I’m not dressed to meet a queen!” He patted himself down, straightening his perfectly decent clothes.

“Topaz,” Whirlwind called out. “Go!”

Topaz grabbed Breeze and, over the latter’s objections, jumped off the platform and away.

Flicker, muscles tense and wings ready for take off, asked, “Should we leave?”

“Any queen can fly faster than we can,” Shade said. “Let’s see where this goes. But be ready to fly off and get Malachite.” Before Flicker could protest he added, “Neither of them would dare hurt me.”

Shade focused his attention on Whirlwind, who stayed in the air but did not seem as surprised or alarmed as she should have been. He hadn’t given her much thought earlier but now he began to wonder if she had somehow planned this. Was this her way of disrupting Breeze’s plans or was this a move against Shade and, through him, Malachite? If he tried to run away now, what would she do? Claim she had protected him from the scary bad Fellborn queen?

Consolation’s approach seemed deliberately slow. When she landed, it was on a branch higher up, barely close enough for conversation.

“Here’s your consort,” Whirlwind yelled. “Take him and go!”

Flicker snarled in outrage but Shade only lifted his eyebrows, trying to figure out what in the world Whirlwind was playing at. Did she want Malachite to gut her? Surely Consolation wasn’t fool enough to fall for this?

Consolation tilted her head. “You said you would introduce me to your clutchmate. This is no clutchmate of yours.”

Raksura queens could often tell just by looking who was related to who and Consolation appeared to have the same ability. And, clearly, she understood that Whirlwind had no standing to offer a consort to anyone, never mind one not related to her.

“You’re in no position to be picky,” Whirlwind growled. She must not have anticipated Consolation resisting the bait. “Fine! If you want to throw away your only chance to have a consort, go away!”

Consolation focused her attention down onto Shade and he had to force himself not to react. She was…well. She was battle-scarred and mature beyond her years because of her responsibilities, meaning she had no need for the kind of false bravado Whirlwind was displaying. Even though her body language showed no aggression at all, Consolation was intimidating merely by being who she was.

Her winged shape was very similar to his; they both had the Fell crest and the thick dark scales. But like a Raksura queen she had a second color, a web overlying her scales. Hers was more like a different shade of black than a true second color, but it was there nonetheless.

“You’re the one,” Consolation said. “The one like me.”

Shade’s pale skin and dark hair, colors not seen among full-blooded Raksura, made it impossible to lie. “I am.”

“Did you want to meet me?”

“This wasn’t my idea. I was invited here for a picnic with another consort.”

“Whirlwind is getting agitated,” Flicker whispered. He kept glancing from one queen to the other, clearly unsure who presented the worse danger.

Consolation’s tail lashed once and stilled. Shade was stricken by how Malachite-like that was. Had they spent enough time together for Consolation to start imitating Malachite? That was…reassuring.

“Should I leave?” Consolation asked Shade.

They looked at each other, and Shade felt that in that moment that they both understood that Whirlwind was a problem they had to fix. If Consolation tried to leave, Whirlwind might do something drastic, maybe even something unthinkable like trying to kill Shade and Flicker to pin the blame on the Fellborn queen.

“I think,” Shade said slowly, “that we should all go back to Opal Night and have a talk with the reigning queen.”

After a beat, Consolation said, “Yes. I agree.” Only then did she deliberately raise her gaze to meet the other queen’s.

At this point, Whirlwind would either give in or—

“You damn Fell!” With a snarl, Whirlwind stooped on Consolation, who fell backward off her branch in a smooth, practiced maneuver.

“I was afraid of that,” Shade said. If there had been any possibility this was a misunderstanding, a rude breach of etiquette, Whirlwind would have been glad to hand the mess over to Malachite.

Flicker bounced forward. “Should I help?” he asked. “ _Who_ should I help?”

“Nobody,” Shade said sharply. “Stay put.” Neither queen was likely to be merciful to a warrior getting in the way.

The queens clashed once, twice, and Shade realized that while Consolation was fully capable of killing the inexperienced Whirlwind, she was trying not to. In the middle of a frenzied battle, Consolation was still thinking of consequences. Whirlwind, meanwhile, was obviously scared and seeking blood. They whirled in the air in a deadly dance, blue against black.

Flicker grabbed Shade’s arm. “Come on, let’s go while they’re distracted.”

Without taking his eyes off the fight, Shade said, “You go. Get Malachite or Celadon.”

“Come with me!”

“Someone has to witness this, to testify to the mentors. And, besides, if I try to leave they might pursue me. You they’ll ignore.” He put weight and authority into his words. “Hurry!”

With a last anguished look at him, Flicker threw himself into flight with all speed.

Now that poor protective Flicker was gone, it was time to do what Moon would do, and get in the way. He had no handy weapon so he’d have to use his own self.

Shade shifted and took flight. Despite what he had told Flicker, neither queen took any notice of him, too focused on survival. Shade rose as fast as he could and, as soon as an opening presented itself, he dove at the blue blur.

He slammed into Whirlwind, who blindly turned on him, sinking claws between his scales and into his flesh. She was so far gone into battle lust that Shade wasn’t sure she recognized him. “You should reconsider that,” he gasped in pain. “Flicker’s gone to tell Malachite you tried to pull Consolation into a trap. If you hurt me, she’ll kill you.”

Whirlwind hesitated, finally beginning to think again, but for a terrible moment Shade wasn’t entirely sure she wouldn’t kill him anyway. That was when Consolation grabbed Whirlwind and hurled her away.

Shade flapped unsteadily to remain in the air, turning to track Whirlwind. Consolation circled, watching them both.

A large shape barreled on the scene and everybody flinched away. The shape landed by the remains of the ill-fated picnic and became Onyx. She was rattling-mad, spines shaking all over the place.

“All of you come down this instant!” she bellowed. “Now, Whirlwind!”

When Whirlwind began her reluctant descent, Consolation alighted on the same branch as earlier. Shade, after a second of hesitation, chose to land on the same branch, though apart. At this point he felt he could trust Consolation more than Whirlwind’s birthqueen. How had Onyx gotten here before Malachite, anyway? Had Flicker not been able to find someone better?

Onyx focused on her daughter. “Explain.”

Whirlwind’s words were barely audible. “I…I thought I could get rid of the Fell. You’d be pleased and we’d all be safe.”

“You foolish, foolish child! How could disobeying me and endangering consorts of your own court please me?” Onyx took a single step forward and Whirlwind shrank away from her.

Something cold uncoiled itself. Suddenly Malachite was standing on the platform too, as if she’d been there all along. She might even have been.

“I wish I knew how she does that,” Consolation murmured.

Onyx twitched, turning to put herself between Malachite and Whirlwind. “She’s a foolish child, barely more than a fledging.”

Malachite regarded Whirlwind thoughtfully. “You lured Shade and Consolation out here in hope of sparking an incident that would set us against Consolation’s flight.”

Whirlwind quivered, unable to escape Malachite’s gaze. “I… I just wanted the Fell gone. They’re dangerous.”

“What do you know of the Fell, fledgling?”

Breeze, Topaz, and Flicker arrived on the scene, all three nearly collapsing on the platform from exhaustion. Breeze staggered forward, calling, “Don’t hurt her!” He seemed to be talking to both the older queens.

“Go home, Breeze,” Whirlwind said stiffly.

“It’s my fault,” Breeze continued. “Whirlwind was afraid because of what I said to her.” Malachite’s and Onyx’s combined gazes nearly made Breeze buckle, but he rallied and explained, “I said I wanted to meet Consolation. Whirlwind was scared for me. Sabotaging my plan like this was a terrible thing for her to do, but she thought she was trying to protect me.”

Shade shifted to investigate his wounds with the tip of his much more sensitive groundling fingers. If he were bleeding out, he had better find out before he fainted and dramatically plummeted off this branch. But, no, the cuts didn’t feel serious. They hurt, though, and he couldn’t keep a hiss from escaping. And what if he couldn’t get the blood out of his lovely shirt? One of his favorite Arbora had made it.

Malachite looked up sharply, having noticed either his hiss or the smell of blood. “Who injured you, Shade?” She was all menace again.

“I’m fine,” he said, because he was afraid that if he named the culprit, said culprit would be dead in the next moment. “Whirlwind was very stupid and she’s sorry, and Consolation was very restrained and didn’t kill her. But this scratch stings, so can we please relocate home?” He said the last sentence as plaintively as he could. What use was it to be a consort if you couldn’t use it to manipulate powerful queens now and then?

Flicker tried to come get him, but Malachite got there first, picking him up gently and inspecting the wounds.

“Can I go home?” Consolation asked warily.

“Yes,” Malachite said. Then, to Shade’s surprise, she added, “It seems you handled this well.”

Consolation perked up at the praise, and then tried to hide it by stiffening her posture and spines. “I’m going,” she announced, doing so.

While they were flying home, the suspended forest going by in a blur, Malachite said, “It was Whirlwind who hurt you.” It wasn’t a question, exactly, but Shade understood what she wanted to know.

“I don’t think she meant to. She realized she was outmatched and she went into a survival frenzy. Consolation was trying to keep her off, not kill her, so I jumped in to break them up. Whirlwind clawed me before she realized what was happening.”

Malachite took this in silence. As they came within sight of the colony, she finally said, “Try not to copy your half-clutchmate quite this much.”

Shade smiled, feeling strangely self-satisfied. While he had Malachite’s attention, he might as well push a little… “I think Consolation did exceptionally well. She kept her head when a foreign queen attacked her. She should be rewarded and invited to meet with Breeze and any other interested consort.”

“Oh? Would you be interested in speaking with her, too?”

Shade closed his eyes as they landed amid warriors in an uproar about the sight of their reigning queen carrying a wounded consort. He was exhausted and the noise hurt his head. “Maybe. I thought I would be afraid of her, but I wasn’t…”


	2. Chapter 2 - Shade

Chapter 2  
Shade

Shade didn’t quite faint, but neither did he feel entirely aware until a while after he was laid down to rest. Lithe was bent over his wounds, her hands gentle.

“I feel better,” Shade said as he came out of the haze. “Did you do something?”

“I sped up the healing with a simple. Are you hungry yet? I sent for food.” Lithe sat down by his feet, huffing out a breath. “I don’t know whether to be appalled or impressed by what you did. Both, I think.”

“Somebody had to do something and I was there.” Shade tried out what he thought was going to be his best defense whenever anyone brought this incident up. “Stopping queens from doing foolish things is what consorts do, isn’t it?”

“You’re not wrong.” Lithe patted his leg as he gingerly sat up. “I have to go tell Malachite you’re better. Do you want company? I ordered everybody out to give you some quiet, but I’m sure Flicker is loitering just around the corner.”

“Yes please.”

Lithe left and Flicker came in moments later bearing the promised food. There was fresh meat, cut in small pieces so he could eat without shifting.

As he began eating, it occurred to Shade to be surprised Malachite hadn’t stayed. “Flicker, where’s Malachite?” 

“She’s talking with Onyx and Umber. They’re trying to decide what to do about Whirlwind.” Flicker shot him a look. “She admitted to hurting you. She’s lucky they’re not throwing her out of the tree.”

“Well, I did interrupt a queen’s fight. I earned a couple scratches.” A little reluctantly, he added, “Does everybody think I’m crazy?”

“Probably, but if anybody says so aloud Breeze is going to chew their face off. He’s a little… over stimulated. I don’t know if they managed to get him settled down. He was busy telling the entire court you stopped a queen battle for him. The way he says it, they were fighting over him.” 

Shade buried his face in his hands. “He almost had me convinced he’s an intelligent one!”

“I think he is,” Flicker said seriously. “Think about it. The truth is, his clutchmate tried to start a war with another court. The fact the other court is a bunch of Fell doesn’t matter, not after we spent the last couple turns making it clear to everybody that we accept them. Breeze is trying to save Whirlwind’s reputation by pretending the queens were just fighting because Consolation is interested in him and Whirlwind is against it. That would be a far smaller transgression on Whirlwind’s part. Malachite and Onyx might even let this stand as the official version to smooth things over.”

“Huh.” Shade mulled that over. “That is rather clever.” 

“I’m glad the queens are too busy to yell at me,” Flicker said. “I disobeyed, too. I’d barely even gotten to the entrance that Onyx and Malachite were coming out and ordering everybody to stay and not follow them. Breeze must have told them everything. But as soon as the queens were out of sight Breeze threw himself in the air, and Topaz took off after Breeze… So I went too. You can’t let a consort fly in potential danger with a single warrior as backup!”

“Nobody’s going to yell at you for being concerned for Breeze’s safety.” Not even if it’d only been an excuse to go. The other warriors were probably jealous they hadn’t thought of it first.

“And you,” Flicker added, drawing himself up self-righteously. “You tricked me! You sent me away and got yourself clawed! See if I ever leave you alone again!”

Shade waited for Flicker to be done venting and then said, quietly, “Thank you for trusting me.”

“Oh. Well.” Flicker glanced away and sighed. “I suppose you did what you had to do.”

*

An Arbora warned them from the doorway before leaping away. “She’s coming!”

After the drama between Consolation and Whirlwind, a few other young consorts had made noise about meeting the famous half-Fell queen but somehow they’d all changed their mind since. Shade suspected that Breeze had used his newfound status as The Consort Queens Had Fought Over to discourage them from attending “his” event. The end result was that it was just Shade and Breeze participating in this formal meeting session. Shade wasn’t even sure why he was there. 

Ember, consort to Pearl of Indigo Cloud, had once told Shade that Moon came to official meetings looking either like he was being dragged there against his will or like he was coming to murder someone.

Consolation kind of looked like that, too, when she walked in the room bracketed by Celadon and Ivory. Shade had never seen a queen so deeply anxious. She was stiff with it, like a statue. 

Ivory, who knew Consolation from having watched over Arbora as they taught dakri how to cultivate gardens, made the introductions. “Consolation, these are some of our unattached consorts. Shade is from Malachite’s line while Breeze is from Onyx’s line.”

They were, at that point, all in their shifted forms. A formal meeting session was meant to introduce foreign queens to potential consort matches, so that everybody could get a good look at everybody else in both their shapes. It didn’t oblige anyone to anything, but it carried the weight of possibility. 

Celadon shifted to groundling first and everybody followed suit, though Consolation was visibly hesitant and went last.

Shade tried not to stare. He’d heard what Consolation’s other shape looked like, but few members of Opal Night had seen it. Unlike a full-blooded Raksura queen, she did not merely lose her wings but instead possessed a true groundling form with soft skin. Her hair was too thick and dark, and her skin was far paler than any Raksura’s, but her body shape was just like an aeriat warrior’s. 

Consolation wouldn’t quite meet their eyes but she studied them covertly. She had seen Shade’s two forms already, but under less than ideal conditions.

“Welcome to our court,” Breeze said. “Please, sit down.”

They all sat on cushions set in a loose circle. 

“I hope you like tea,” Breeze said, picking up the teapot. He served Consolation first and she seized her teacup like her life depended on it. One would have thought she was facing certain doom, not just a pair of curious consorts. Shade wasn’t interested, but he would admit to curiosity. 

Perhaps it felt like a trap to Consolation; there may only have been two queens in this room, but the whispers from outside made it clear a number of Arbora and warriors were lurking. 

“I hope your clutchmate is well,” Consolation said awkwardly to her teacup.

“She’s quite recovered,” Breeze answered. Whirlwind was in her bower and ordered to remain there until this meeting was over. “And you as well?”

“Yes, thank you.” Consolation slid a glance to Shade, one that lingered. “And you--?”

“Scratches,” Shade said. “Despite the fuss everybody made, it was nothing but scratches.”

Malachite and Onyx were not present because senior queens tended to have a dampening effect on meetings between prospective mates. Their absence was also a sign that Consolation was trusted to behave, but this did not seem to make her feel any better. The small talk continued a while but still she did not relax.

Ivory nudged the Fellborn queen. “Breathe. Nobody’s here to eat you.”

Shade barely hid his wince. Jokes about Fell eating people would never be funny to him. 

“More tea, Consolation?” Breeze offered. The proprietary way he held the teapot signaled interest on his part. Otherwise he would have let Shade do some of the pouring. 

Shade would have thought that meeting the Fellborn queen in person would discourage Breeze, but not so. After some further small talk, to which Consolation replied politely but blandly, Breeze veered into personal territory with no shame at all. 

“I’m sorry if this is a painful question, but I wanted to ask… is it true you don’t know your sire’s name or court?”

“It’s true,” Consolation said. “Everybody called him ‘consort.’ He didn’t talk about his court. I was too young to think to ask.”

“Neither Malachite nor Onyx recognize her bloodline,” Celadon put in. “It’s likely he came from a small court that was destroyed.”

“What was it like,” Breeze said slowly, “growing up in a Fell flight?”

Consolation thawed enough to quirk a small, sad smile. “You expect me to say it was bad. But I had status and the progenitor largely ignored me. Our consort took care of us and taught us that the way the flight behaved, treating thinking beings as preys and each other as barely more than that, wasn’t the way it had to be. I learned I could use my status to protect the small and weak instead of watching the flight cull them. And when I was big enough, I put a stop to it all.” She flexed her claws, possibly remembering the event. “I wish I’d gotten big enough to fight back before our consort got sick. Your Arbora say we could have saved him if we’d had medicine. We didn’t know.” 

“I’m sorry,” Breeze offered in the ensuing silence. 

“I did not protect him,” Consolation continued, as if rejecting the sympathy. “In the Fell way, it is the rulers that protect the progenitor. But queens are meant to protect consorts. I failed.”

Ivory stirred to answer but Shade beat her to it. “It isn’t a fledgling’s job to protect their parent, consort or not! It was his responsibility to protect you and raise you, and he succeeded so well you have your own burgeoning court. He would be proud.”

Consolation finally met his gaze. “I thought you hated me.”

Shade startled. “Me? Why?”

“I was told you were mistreated by Fell.”

“I was. But you had nothing to do with it, and neither did your flight. I just need time to truly accept that.” He wasn’t sure how much time: forever, perhaps. 

“I understand.”

There was nothing Fell-like in the way she looked at him, with a mix of longing and resignation. She did want him, after all, and Shade could not decide what he felt about that.

*

Consolation left after collecting her two kethel, who had been entertained by a number of carefully selected, levelheaded warriors. She hadn’t brought her rulers and Shade wondered at it. Was she treating them like sheltered consorts even though, as she’d pointed out, that was not their natural role? And, besides, they couldn’t breed with any queen, not even a half-one like Consolation. The kethel appeared to be acting as her warriors instead, and the dakti were her Arbora.

“What did you think of her?” Breeze asked Shade as they headed back to the consorts’ quarters. “She seems like a proper queen, doesn’t she? She’s protective and aware of her responsibilities. We know she can fight and keep her head, too.”

“You’re still considering this?” Shade sighed. “She’s not the problem. She’s still inexperienced, but clearly wants to be a good reigning queen. It’s the rest of her flight that concern me. I’m not sure real Fell can be like us.” The mere thought of being surrounded by true Fell—again—gave him shivers. 

“Kethel is a real Fell,” Flicker said, almost reluctantly. “He cares for his queen as much as any of us do. We asked why he braids his hair and he said their consort used to do it for him when he was small. That’s not what I expected a Fell to say.”

“I still couldn’t live in a Fell flight,” Shade said. In answer, Flicker reached over to squeeze his wrist. 

“Maybe I could,” Breeze said. 

“You still need Onyx to agree,” Topaz said, in a patient way that hinted he said this often. 

“Consolation needs a consort or her court will fail,” Breeze said. “Malachite has an interest in Consolation’s success, so she’ll help me.”

“What about Topaz?” Shade asked. “Will you leave him behind?” 

“That’s his decision to make,” Breeze said before Topaz could try to answer. “If he chooses to stay, I’m sure you’ll look after him so those bullies stay away from him.”

Shade blinked. Well, he deserved that. “I’m sure I would.” Being responsible for somebody’s safety might once have distressed him, but no bully warrior would ever scare him after the Fell. 

“I—” Topaz began. 

“Don’t,” Breeze said, putting a hand on Topaz’s arm. “Really think about it first. I have no right to ask this of you.”

Shade went to his bower, where he spent the rest of the day composing a letter to Moon. He tried to present recent events in an amusing way so Moon wouldn’t be worried. 

_…Breeze doesn’t seem ready to give up so I expect I’ll see Consolation again. I don’t mind; I’m starting to like her. I think she wants to do right. I find myself honestly wishing her and her flight well._

_That’s all that’s been happening here. Don’t forget to tell me how Bramble’s clutch is doing!_

Shade finished with the usual salutations to everybody he knew in Indigo Cloud. He didn’t have to send separate messages because Moon would share his letter with anyone even vaguely interested. After folding the letter in a cloth treated with waterproof sap, Shade sent Flicker to put it with the other mail. 

A warrior group was due to leave soon to do the rounds of their allied courts, gathering news and letters. Such rounds were frequent, to keep warriors occupied and in good shape. Many warriors sought out this duty for the chance to travel.

For many days everything proceeded as usual and Shade spent his time practicing how to draw people, occasionally making Flicker pose for him. He had half a mind to write a memoir for the mentor library and it would be nice to illustrate it. 

“Shade, can I come in?”

Looking up from his drawing pad, Shade realized Breeze had probably been standing in the doorway a while, trying to get his attention. “Sure, come in.”

Breeze promptly flounced over to a pillow pile and dramatically collapsed on it. “Onyx won’t let me invite Consolation again!”

“You didn’t expect her to be happy you went over her and got Malachite to invite Consolation, did you?”

“I knew it wouldn’t work twice, but I thought at this point she might just give up on me. Now, I don’t know how to change her mind.”

“She cares for your well-being.” Shade put aside his pen. “Breeze, have you really thought this through? You don’t know how the Fell live. You might get there only to realize you hate it.”

Breeze sat up. “I do know how they live. I did my research! There’s Arbora and warriors who spend more time over there than here! They say the flight dress decently now, though not quite like us. They hunt and farm like we do. In the evening they have story time, where they coax some Arbora to tell them one so they can remember it to retell later. A few Fell are trying to learn to read Raksura so they can borrow our books. I could help with that.”

Maybe Breeze was starved for positive attention and thought he could become the star of Consolation’s flight just by showing up with a good supply of storybooks. He might even have been right. 

“What about the rulers?” Shade tried. “They would be jealous that you’re taking their natural place.”

Breeze looked unconcerned. “There’s only two of them. What are they going to do, shun me? I’ve had enough of that here to get used to it.” With a little side-glance at Shade, he added, “Your half-clutchmate had to make himself a place in a court that didn’t really want him and it turned out fine.”

Shade spent a moment trying to decide if he should be offended by that remark, but it wasn’t untrue. Many Indigo Cloud warriors had objected to Moon’s arrival in their court but he’d carved himself a place anyway, even before his prestigious lineage became known. Shade tried to think of another concern to raise, but took so long that Breeze apparently took his silence as a sign he was giving up the argument. 

“If I can’t invite Consolation, you’ll have to do it,” Breeze said brightly, which was probably what he’d come here to say to begin with. “I’ll sneak in.”

“That’s not happening. Think of something else.”

“Why not? I won’t mind being second consort to you, I promise.” Shade stared until Breeze hunched defensively and said, “What? I saw her look at you. You’re prettier than me, so I understand.”

Shade had begun to rally but lost his words again at that last sentence. Nobody had ever insulted his looks, for fear of Malachite if nothing else, but people rarely went out of their way to apply such words to him.

“I’m not interested in Consolation,” he said at last. “As you said, she’s trying to secure her flight’s future. Giving her false hope would be cruel.”

Breeze’s brows creased. “But—”

“I have things to do, so please excuse me,” Shade said, his tone the precise degree of coolness necessary to indicate he was done with this conversation.

Breeze took the hint and retreated with mumbled goodbyes. 

A surprising number of days went by without any further sign of Breeze or his plans, enough so that Shade got worried and asked Flicker to find out what was going on, if anything. 

Flicker came back with worrying speed.

“What, what has Breeze done?” Shade asked, alarmed. 

“Nothing, I didn’t get that far. Your half clutch brother is at the entrance and the warriors say he looks angry.”

“Moon looks angry all the time so it doesn’t mean anything is wrong,” Shade said reasonably, but he immediately started worrying anyway. Was there trouble again? “Who is he with?”

“The line grand-father, the usual number of warriors, and a mentor.”

“Jade isn’t there?” A consort didn’t normally travel without the protection of a queen but a consort visiting his birth court had more leeway. Plus, Moon was Moon and nobody who knew him would be surprised if he came visiting all alone one day (appalled, yes, surprised, no). “I hope she's not hurt. Bring Moon up as soon as possible.”

Frequent visitors, especially ones with family ties to the court, were received with far less ceremony than strangers, but there still was a short ritual greeting to perform and after that they would have to get through everybody who wanted to say hello. 

Shade didn’t bother changing, because Moon wouldn’t even notice what he was wearing. Moon was reassuringly predictable that way. But he did get tea started, because anyone fresh off a long flight wanted a hot cup of tea to relax. 

When Moon came in, looking as angry as rumor had said, Shade blurted, “Are we all in danger?”

Moon stopped, blinked. “Ah, no.” He paused. “If we are, nobody told me.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

“You sent me that letter! You know what’s wrong!”

Shade tried to work that out. “You’re angry that Consolation might get a consort?”

“I don’t mind if she takes that Breeze, but she can’t have you!”

Shade stared in growing bafflement. “What precisely in my letter sounded like I wanted to throw myself at her?”

“You said you like her!” 

Consorts didn’t slap other consorts in the head but right then Shade wished he could. “There’s a bit of a difference between liking someone and wanting to leave all your friends and family behind to go be her consort in a place full of actual Fell.” 

Moon watched him closely, as if afraid he was lying. Then he sat down heavily and poured himself tea before Shade could do it. “Oh good.”

“Did you come all this way just to say that? You could have just written back with your concerns. What would you do if I did want her? Challenge her?” 

Moon leveled a look at Shade that said he knew he was being made fun of, if only gently. “I wanted to come and see how Consolation is coming along. You say she did well when meeting unattached consorts and their chaperones but that’s not a true test of her maturity. I think it’s time for a safely attached consort to go visit her and see how that goes.”

“Isn’t that like baiting her? It sounds cruel to throw in her face someone she can’t have.”

“If she’s to be accepted in Raksura society, she needs to demonstrate iron self-control. Proper queens don’t steal consorts, not if they want their court to thrive. Proving she can resist such temptation will help her case in the long run.” Moon lifted his shoulders. “I’m better suited to this than most other consorts.”

Shade scooted closer to Moon, softening his voice. “Is that really a good idea? You have a lot of bad experiences and trauma related to Fell.”

Moon grimaced. “That’s true of most of our relatives. If you and Malachite can accept Consolation, then so can I.” 

They chatted about less fraught topics, like Pearl’s upcoming clutch. It was early in the pregnancy but all was well so far and Ember alternated between delight and anxiety. This turned out to be the reason Jade hadn’t come, just in case something might go wrong with Pearl’s clutch. 

“I don’t want Jade near Consolation, anyway,” Moon said. “She hasn’t forgotten Consolation tried to steal me.”

“I’m a little surprised she let you come, if you told her your plan. You did tell her?”

Moon looked stung by the question, but he really had no leg to stand on because lying to his queen was nothing compared to some of his past exploits. “Yes, I told her! She said I had to take Stone and promise to stick with him. That’s fair. I think Stone is curious to see how Kethel is doing. I know I am.” 

An Arbora poked her head in to say, “Moon, Malachite is ready to see you.” 

Setting down his cup, Moon rose. “Now I have to go tell Malachite what I told you. I don’t expect that to go well.”

“She might agree with your thinking,” Shade said. “She allowed Consolation to meet me and that’s no small thing.”

“We’ll see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tune in next week for Fell-visiting adventures with Moon and company.


	3. Chapter 3 - Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POV shift alert! This one is a Moon chapter.

Chapter 3  
Moon

After Moon finished explaining his intention to pay a courtesy call at Consolation’s flight, Malachite went quiet in a thoughtful, considering way. Moon had expected to argue his way past an initial no, so this was a surprise.

Trying to identify the source of Malachite’s hesitation, Moon said tentatively, “I’ll have Stone with me so I’ll be quite safe. You won’t be far either, should anything happen.”

Malachite stirred. “I’m not worried about you.”

Moon tried to unpack that. “You’re worried about Consolation? Ah—because you’ll have to kill her if her self-control fails?”

Malachite didn’t answer but Moon felt that was an answer in itself. If he’d been wildly off the mark, she would have said something. 

He frowned, thinking out loud, “It’s been almost three turns and so far she hasn’t done anything to provoke you to kill her, so she must be trying very hard. Are you invested in her success?” That was as close as he wanted to come to outright asking if Malachite was starting to think of Consolation as one of her foundlings. 

If there was one thing Moon knew about Malachite, beyond how terrifying she was in battle, it was how fiercely protective she was. She would do anything for her court, including her half-Fell rescues. If Consolation was looking up to her and trying to gain her approval… Malachite would respond to that. It wouldn’t stop her from killing Consolation to protect Moon if it came to that, but having to do it would cost her, like it had cost her to have to kill the Arbora who had tried to poison Moon turns ago. 

The last thing Moon wanted was to cause his birthqueen any further pain. “I won’t go if you feel she’s not ready,” he offered. “But I do think she’ll have to be tested eventually. She’s not just any queen, she’s the Fellborn queen trying to turn a Fell flight into something more...like us. She’ll need to be stronger-willed than anyone else. Especially if you plan to entrust a consort to her.”

“I will think on it,” Malachite said. 

Moon retreated, satisfied with that answer. Shade had been right.

He stopped a passing Arbora—probably a teacher because her hair looked like a toddler had tried to braid it—to ask after the others and was led down to where Stone, Heart and the others were having tea with a number of Aeriat and Arbora from Opal Night. Several people greeted him, including Feather, one of the Arbora teacher who had taken care of him when he was a fledgling. He didn’t remember, but she did, and he liked having this link to his nebulous fledglinghood. 

Stone looked at him questioningly so Moon answered, “She said she’ll think on it.”

Stone raised an eyebrow. “Huh.” He had doubts about Moon’s plan but he’d come along willingly enough. 

Heart beamed. “Good! I’m excited to see First again and see how he’s getting along.”

Moon hadn’t wanted to bring Heart, or any other Arbora, to visit a Fell flight, but Heart had given him a Look and said, “Moon, I spent whole days with First and Kethel and the others while we were harrying those Fell flights that attacked us. They trusted me to tend to their wounds. It’s a little late to worry they mean me any harm. By all accounts, they’ve been getting along just fine with the Opal Night warriors and Arbora, with no incident.”

Moon didn’t know from whom Heart got her news, but she was apparently better informed than he was. It made sense, in a way, since he got most of his information from Shade, and nobody liked to talk about Fell to either Shade or Moon. There seemed to be a general assumption they were too traumatized to want to hear any news about Fell, even friendly Fell. 

Astonishingly, Pearl hadn’t raised any opposition to Heart’s desire to come visit some Fell. Moon and Stone had boggled over it, wondering exactly what they’d missed when Pearl had partnered with Malachite and Consolation to chase down the (bad) Fell. 

Pearl had just said, with an unconcerned flick of her claws, “Consolation will not dare put a claw wrong with Malachite breathing over her shoulder, and neither will any of her flight.”

Nobody wanted to upset a queen carrying a clutch by arguing with her, so they were stuck with an Arbora. 

*

The answer came late in the morning, through a warrior. “Malachite sent a message to Consolation’s flight to notify them they will receive a visit from Indigo Cloud. I hear they mobbed the Arbora present, asking for advice.”

“Why should they be so frantic?” Moon asked. “I thought your warriors and Arbora were there every day.”

“They know whose half-clutchmate you are and they can guess why you want to visit. Helping their queen get a consort is important to them.”

“You talk like you know them.”

Looking a little reluctant, the warrior said, “We spend a lot of time watching the Arbora teach them thing, but it’s boring because no predator will willingly get close to a place that smells of kethel. We talk to them to pass the time.” Moon wasn’t sure if the warrior was embarrassed to admit to chatting away when he was on duty or if he was doing that thing and assuming Moon hated Fell and didn’t want to hear anything even vaguely positive about them.

A proper first greeting between two non-allied courts should have included a queen-consort pair, but Moon chose to pretend that after the way Pearl, Malachite, and Consolation had worked together, they were already allies. The Fell weren’t going to quibble about protocol, anyway. 

They made their arrival look good, flying high and leisurely. They swept in towards what appeared to be the main entrance of the Fell colony tree, an open knothole not unlike that of their own tree, though perhaps a little tight for the bigger kethel. Stone and Moon flew in front with the five warriors perfectly arrayed behind them. Chime carried Heart. 

The tree had dozens of platforms, some still wild but many already tamed into orchards, gardens, and at least one type of crop for cloth-making. There were dakti everywhere, some flying around as if mimicking patrolling warriors, but most working on the platforms alongside a number of more colorful shapes—the Opal Night Arbora who had agreed to teach the dakti everything they knew. A number of Opal Night warriors were nearby too, watching. Malachite had decided to let them go about their business as if everything was normal, but the warriors were surely ready to grab the Arbora and get out of there if anything seemed in any way amiss. 

They landed on the platform nearest the knothole entrance and shifted to groundling to wait. Balm had stayed home with Jade, so Serene stepped forward to be their speaker. 

They all twitched as a huge shadow fell upon them. It was a kethel coming in to land. When it shifted, Moon was startled to find himself looking at Kethel. He still wore his hair in braids but his clothes were improved; his wrap was dyed a vibrant red and embroidered with a repeating pattern while his naked torso was adorned with a large necklace made with pieces of multicolored snail shell. There were faint scars on his chest, likely a souvenir of the severe burns he and Moon had suffered during their ill-fated adventure together. 

Moon had never in his life seen a Fell so clean. He almost smelled…nice. 

“We don’t have any female to do this,” Kethel said in apology. Someone had given him etiquette lessons, because he directed his words to Serene. “I’m Kethel, of Consolation’s Flight, and you’re welcome into our colony.”

“I’m Serene of Indigo Cloud. This is Moon, consort to our sister queen Jade, and Stone, our line-grandfather. We’ll follow you.”

They shifted and all flew inside. But instead of leading them deeper into the tree to smaller rooms, Kethel gestured them over to where cushions and a tea set were arranged somewhat clumsily by Raksura standards. Moon was pretty sure that this had been arranged in advance to ensure Stone didn’t feel trapped. From here they could see the sky and fly out at a moment’s notice. 

A tall, pale figure stood by the cushions, along with a shorter one. They were in groundling form, unthreatening. Kethel went to join them and said, “This is our reigning queen Consolation and her adviser First.”

Moon didn’t usually give much attention to people’s clothing, but this time he scrutinized everybody carefully. First was dressed much like Kethel, with a decorated hip wrap and jewelry on his upper body. Consolation had a hip wrap too, paired with another wrap for her breasts. 

Her jewelry was a little heavy. She had two necklaces on, bracers of solid gold, a delicate net full of precious stones wrapped about her thick, not quite groundling-like hair, and at least three anklet. Moon would have worried these were all plundered from groundlings, but he spotted flaws in the jewelry that suggested they had been made by beginners. Most Raksura courts would have been horrified by the idea of their reigning queen wearing imperfect items, but Consolation wore her dakti’s work with pride. 

Serene introduced them again and everybody sat down with a very nice cup of tea that almost certainly came straight from Opal Night. 

Almost as if she read his mind, Consolation said, “We grew this tea ourselves. Not all of us like the taste, but I do.”

Stone tasted his carefully, probably checking for poison, then drank more deeply. “That’s good tea,” he said, not too grudgingly. “You’ve got a couple harvests done then?”

“Yes,” First said. “We lost too much of the tea to pests, but the root vegetables were plentiful. If we could find out why the plants for cloth are being difficult, all would be well.”

It should have been tense, but mostly it was just awkward. Consolation, First, and Kethel sat rigidly, evidently worried about making a good impression. Moon had never seen Fell worried about any such thing. He wasn’t sure anymore why he’d wanted to come; Consolation looked nothing like a wild queen desperate to steal a consort. The distressed fledgling queen he’d met had grown into a responsible, self-possessed queen who seemed genuinely uninterested in the consort sitting right in front of her. It was like she had something else on her mind.

Heart, either oblivious to the general discomfort or very aware of it, took over. “Was that a new field of spice herbs I saw being planted outside? It seems like a lot of spice for the size of your flight. Is it for trading?”

Kethel shifted in what looked like…guilt?

First made a face. “We discovered the kethel enjoy the spiced roots very much. They nearly ate the entire spice harvest already.”

Kethel rumbled. “It’s not our fault we’re so big. We have to eat.”

“And that’s why we’re planting more root vegetables and spices,” Consolation said with the tone of a queen who had had enough of hearing the same argument over and over again. “There will be enough for everybody.”

Moon couldn’t help but relax a little. This…this was so _normal_. 

First reached to touch Consolation’s wrist. After flicking a look his way, she said, “Heart. You healed our wounds when we fought together with your court. Do you know about other sort of illnesses too?”

Heart paused before answering, sensing the question’s weight. “I don’t know if I can treat illnesses in dakti or kethel but I can try. Is someone sick?” 

“We’re not sure,” First said reluctantly. “It might be worse than that.”

“You haven’t asked Opal Night for help?”

“They’ve never sent a mentor out here. And we’re worried.”

They all looked unhappy now. Heart, glancing from face to face, said, “I’ll have a look. I can’t promise anything, but I’ll have a look.”

“Will you come deeper into the tree or should we bring her here?” Consolation asked. 

Moon glanced at Stone, who said, “We’ll go.”

It could have been a trap, meant to lure them down somewhere Stone couldn’t shift, but somehow Moon didn’t think so. These Fell hadn’t spent so much time trying to save their tea plants from hungry bugs just to ruin everything and start a war with their dangerous neighbor. Their pride in their achievements was real.

“Stay here,” Moon told the warriors. River opened his mouth with a mutinous look so Moon stared at him and added, “I want you by the knothole so the Opal Night warriors will see you and avoid panicking.”

The warriors all indicated assent and moved away.

Kethel went to sit on the edge of the knothole, perhaps also as a way to signal to the watching Opal Night warriors that all was well. Before he went, he said, “Old Consort, if you would tell us a story tonight, everybody would like to listen.”

“We’ll see,” Stone said neutrally. 

Like other courts Moon had visited, this colony had many passages leading to big gathering halls surrounded by smaller spaces mostly meant as bowers. It was a little too dark, the light shells half dead, and Moon realized that since they had no mentors, the flight had to trade these from Opal Night and could not renew them themselves. Heart made no comment but started renewing them as she went. 

They went down to what was probably meant to be the teachers’ hall. There, a handful of dakti gathered around one who sat in groundling form, hunched over herself. Her warm skin tone betrayed her as one of the halflings. Moon wasn’t even sure he’d seen a female dakti before. Perhaps the gender differentiation in dakti was so slight as to be unnoticeable when they weren’t half Raksura. 

“This is my clutchmate, Third,” First said. “There is something amiss with her stomach.”

The dakti backed away as they approached, making room for Heart to kneel before the sick one. “Hi there, Third. I’m Heart, a mentor. First asked me to find out what’s happening to you. Can I touch you?”

Stone’s expression had been growing more fixed ever since they'd walked in the room. Moon couldn’t figure out why; could he tell Third was badly sick? 

After a little while, Heart walked back to them. “She’s not sick, exactly. She’s having normal symptoms for someone who’s pregnant.” She said it gingerly, as if not sure how the news would be taken.

Consolation closed her eyes and sighed.

“We were afraid of that,” First said.

“Shouldn’t it be good news?” Heart asked, still cautious. 

“Dakti aren’t supposed to be fertile, are they?” Moon asked, baffled by the whole situation. 

“Female dakti are often fertile,” First said. “But they’re rare. They usually occur in a young progenitor’s first few clutches, when she needs help populating a new flight. If any are born after that, they’re less likely to be fertile. You can usually tell the difference because the fertile ones are bigger, stronger. Third is not big, and half Raksura besides. Nobody thought she might be fertile.”

“But she is. Why is this not good news?” Heart asked again. “Are you afraid she’s too small to bear them? Mentors can monitor her.”

“Who’s the sire?” Stone asked suddenly, grimly.

Consolation turned to face him warily, almost as if she expected violence from him. “She won’t tell us, because she’s afraid.”

Moon finally caught on. “It’s an Arbora, isn’t it? One of Opal Night’s?” 

“I still don’t understand,” Heart said. 

Moon met Heart’s eyes. “Third didn’t know she was fertile. She didn’t ask the Arbora male for a clutch. It was an accident.” 

As an Arbora, Heart had always known that she was fertile and that she could control this ability. She had no concept what it was like not to control one’s fertility or to fall pregnant by accident. Because Moon had lived with groundlings, he had a better grasp of the problem.

Understanding came into Heart’s face, followed by consternation. “Oh. That’s…bad.” 

“Can you help us tell Malachite?” Consolation said, sounding resigned. “I don’t know if I can stop Malachite from killing Third. She did not mean to do this.”

“Kill her?” Heart repeated, aghast. “Why would Malachite—?”

“Malachite does not like it when Fell steal Raksura bloodlines,” Consolation said. “She will not believe it was an accident.”

“No,” Heart said, with the authority of a mentor. “We will not let anyone hurt an expectant mother. Find out who the sire is. I will talk to him, and to the mentors at Opal Night.”

Consolation did not look hopeful, but she must not quite understand that Raksura queens, even queens as terrifying as Malachite, were dependent on their Arbora’s goodwill and could not afford to ignore mentors when they took a stand about something. Is Heart could rally the Opal Night mentors to her cause, the queens’ opinion would not matter much. 

Still, Consolation went to Third, crouching in front of her. “It’s time to tell me,” she said gently, touching Third’s cheek. “Look at me.”

Third looked helplessly into her queen’s gaze. 

Moon sidled up to Stone. “Is there precedent for this?”

“An Arbora making a clutch without permission from the sire?” Stone shook his head. “I never heard of it.”

After some whispered conversation, Consolation rose and went back to them. “She’s worried the Arbora will be bullied or hurt for having sex with her. Does that happen?”

Moon knew better than to say no altogether. “I don’t think Malachite or Celadon would stand for it. Neither would anyone who knows and likes any of the half-Fell Arbora they have. So while he might have some trouble, he will have his defenders, too.” 

Consolation let out a weary breath. “His name is Rainbow.”

“We’ll sort this out,” Heart said determinedly. “In the meantime, please make sure she eats plenty of fresh meat and rests well. Don’t let her do any gardening until it’s her time to clutch because parasites are a danger.”

They went back to Opal Night at a slow pace to avoid worrying anyone, but as soon as they landed Heart headed down to see the other mentors.

Moon started following her, but was intercepted by Celadon, who said, “How did it go? You seem troubled.”

“Consolation was dignified and well-behaved,” Moon said, watching Heart vanish. “Tell Malachite I’ll come see her later. I need to go talk to Shade right now.” He really didn’t want to tell Malachite anything before the mentors could organize. 

Celadon looked taken aback, but let him go. 

When Moon got to Shade’s bower, he found he didn’t know what to say. He sat, brooding, while Shade refilled his teacup and waited him out.

“Was it really that bad?” Shade eventually asked, brows furrowed in worry. “What did Consolation do?”

“She asked for our help.”

“With what?”

Moon grunted and went back to his tea. Apparently he’d just come up here to hide. 

Shade must have been terribly curious, but he busied himself with a book and let Moon brood in peace.

Eventually, an Arbora arrived. “Moon? Heart and Lithe say they’re going to talk to Malachite.”

He went. Beyond Heart and Lithe, there was also Auburn, the chief mentor, an Arbora that Moon was pretty sure had to be the famous Rainbow, and Stone. Malachite was flanked by Onyx and Celadon. 

Malachite watched them all with unreadable eyes as Heart explained the situation. Celadon’s spines betrayed dismay but she remained silent, looking to her birthqueen for cues. 

“This is an outrage!” Onyx said. “We can’t accept this!”

Malachite’s tail lashed once, and stilled. “A Fell is now carrying a clutch with one of our bloodlines,” she said, as if agreeing with Onyx. “And you tell me I may not take exception?”

“Third is a half-Fell no different than me,” Lithe said firmly. 

“You’re part of our court. She is not.”

“There’s no rule that says Arbora can’t interbreed with other courts’ Arbora,” Auburn said. “It’s not usually feasible, but it’s not wrong. Rainbow is the only one who could properly take exception, since his permission was not properly sought out.”

Onyx hissed again, about to say something, but she held off as Malachite tilted her head at Rainbow. He twitched nervously, as would anyone who didn’t have a lot of personal experience with Malachite, and said, “I don’t know that I would have said yes if she’d asked, but the clutch isn’t at fault. Leave them be. Now that we know, we’ll be more careful.”

One might have read Malachite’s attitude as threating, but Moon had the wild suspicion that she’d already known. Maybe she’d used her mysterious powers to attend the visit and make them forget, or maybe her warriors had brought her rumors. She didn’t need anyone to talk her out of anger, she just wanted the mentors to present a united front so that Onyx would have to cave in to them. Otherwise Malachite would probably have to beat up Onyx again and that wasn’t the best way to resolve conflict. 

“Moon?” Malachite asked. “Your thoughts?”

Surprised to be asked, Moon took a moment to consider his words. “It was really an accident. And Consolation was prepared to give Third up to protect the rest of her flight. That’s not an easy decision to make.”

“Three-quarter Raksura is better than three-quarter Fell,” Stone said, somewhat unexpectedly. “And children are good for a court. They give purpose.” He was watching Malachite with narrowed eyes, as if he were also suspicious of her motives. 

“We can’t do nothing!” Onyx said, looking around as if searching for support and finding none. Moon was pretty sure this was why none of Onyx’s daughter queens were here. 

“What should we do?” Celadon asked, her spines uncertain.

“Congratulate Consolation’s flight on their first clutch,” Heart said firmly. “And make sure Third is seen by a mentor regularly. First explained that fertile dakti are supposed to be bigger. She may have some trouble.”

Auburn spread his hands. “It would be inappropriate to do anything else, except warn the Arbora of this possibility. They can make their own decisions from there. This is the consensus among the mentors.”

“Very well,” Malachite said. “We will abide by the mentors’ decision.” Onyx’s growl drew Malachite’s full attention to her. “Do you have an argument to present?”

“No,” Onyx said after a moment. “I just don’t like this.”

Moon said nothing until much later, when he was bedding down with Stone and their warriors in a guest bower. “Stone, did Malachite use the mentors to beat Onyx into submission and keep her from making trouble?” 

“Your birthqueen is quite something,” Stone said. 

Chime, who had listened intently to their account of the meeting, looked awed. “She could have physically forced Onyx to back down, but this is far better for the unity of the court and it ensures that Onyx will be the one quashing any trouble from her daughter-queens on this subject.”

“Maybe Malachite hopes it will prevent further Whirlwind-style plots,” Moon said contemplatively. “Whirlwind thought her plot would be well-received because everybody knows Onyx doesn’t like half-Fell and once fought Malachite to try to keep them out. But while Onyx might not mind people knowing that she disagrees with Malachite, she wouldn’t say anything to imply she doesn’t respect the court’s mentors.”

Once upon a time, Moon couldn’t have sorted out any of this. But he was getting much better at understand Raksura politics. It made him glad things in Indigo Cloud never got quite this complicated.


	4. Chapter 4 - Shade

Chapter 4  
Shade

Lithe marched into Indigo Cloud’s guest bower, towing Breeze by the wrist. “Shade, I need to talk to you.”

Shade glanced at the room full of Indigo Cloud Raksura. “In private?”

“Heart already knows. But can the warriors leave please?”

The warriors in question leapt out, well aware they’d hear the gossip later, though Chime seemed reluctant to go. That left only Moon and Stone sitting with Shade. 

Lithe gestured at Breeze, who crossed his arms defiantly and said, “I told the mentors I want to petition to be disowned.”

Stone made a “huh” of surprise and Shade was too floored to react at all.

Moon took their reactions in with bafflement. “What? What does that mean?”

“It’s an old way for a Raksura to leave their court so they can go elsewhere,” Shade said. 

“So it’s like asking to be kicked out of the court?”

“Yes, but without the stigma,” Lithe explained. “It might be used by a consort who wants to go with a queen from another court but his reigning queen forbids it. Or by a daughter-queen in a busy colony who wants to go start a new colony but the reigning queen objects. A warrior once used it to go join his clutchmate, a consort who’d been sent to another court. All these people petitioned the mentors to release them from the court so they were no longer subject to their queens’ authority.”

“It isn’t a move without consequences,” Stone put in. 

“True,” Lithe said. “When a person is disowned it means their original court gives up all claim on them or their descendants and that person can no longer rely on their birth court’s protection or recognition. Depending how bad the parting was, sometimes the person wasn’t even allowed to claim their own bloodline anymore. It’s meant as a last resort when dealing with unreasonable reigning queens, not…” Lithe cut herself off before she finishing the insult, but it was pretty clear she thought Breeze was out of his mind. 

“This is about Consolation,” Shade said. It couldn’t be about anything else.

Breeze folded his arms. “Since Onyx won’t let me make my own choices about my life, I have to take drastic measures.”

Lithe hissed at Breeze then looked beseechingly at Shade. “Auburn says we have to seriously evaluate the request but I don’t want to bring this matter to Onyx and Umber! Talk to him!”

Shade wasn’t sure how or when he’d gained this new reputation as someone Breeze listened to. But he was involved now, so he might as well try to help. “Breeze, have you warned Consolation you wanted to do this?”

“No, why?” 

“Because she won’t take you,” Moon cut in. “If you show up at her court without permission from Onyx and Malachite, she’ll turn you away.”

“She likes me!” Breeze said, almost hissing at Moon. Another consort might have taken offence but Moon, in typical Moon fashion, took no notice of this rudeness. 

“I don’t question that,” Moon said patiently. “But Consolation’s first concern, like that of any good reigning queen, is the well-being of her court. If taking you in might endanger her relationship with Opal Night, and therefore her court’s safety, she’ll do the right thing. She’ll deny herself what she wants and turn you away. She’ll be upset to be forced into this decision and might not forgive you, ever if you’re later properly offered to her.”

“That’s not true,” Breeze said weakly, looking to Shade as if for an opposite opinion. Breeze, for all his impulsiveness, was receptive to logic and Moon’s argument had clearly scored a hit. 

“I don’t know about that,” Shade said. “But what I do know is that most reigning queens don’t like surprises. If you do this without Consolation’s knowledge and approval, there will be consequences even if she takes you. It might affect your status in her flight. She won’t be proud of you, she’ll be ashamed.”

“And if she does turn you away,” Lithe added acidly, “you’ll either have to beg your way back in here or go begging at your sire’s birth court.”

“Oh,” Breeze’s bravado dropped and he sat down on the floor. “I thought I had the perfect solution.”

“Can I tell Auburn not to go ahead with this?” Lithe said. 

“Yes please,” Breeze said. “I need to think.”

Lithe bounded away in her haste to avert what she clearly thought would be a disaster. 

Shade, not unsympathetic, handed Breeze a cup of tea.

“There has to be some way,” Breeze muttered into his drink. 

“Sure,” Stone said, with the detached tone of someone who had no investment in this drama. “Go see your birthqueen and demand she sets some terms and conditions. A waiting time of a full turn is traditional and you might be required to meet a number of other eligible queens to see if they can sway you.”

Breeze sat up, hopefully again. “I might do that. Thank you, line grand-father.” He wandered off after brief good-byes. 

Once Breeze was long gone, Moon turned to Stone. “Can a consort really force their birthqueen or reigning queen’s hand like that or did you just want him out of here?”

“Yes and no. It’s not a coincidence that both a young queen and young consort of the same clutch are restless and defying their elders. This court is growing too large, so instinct is pushing the youngest generation to rebel. When this happens it’s time to think about seeding a new colony. If his birthqueen has any sense, she’ll realize what’s happening and will accept a compromise so he doesn’t go right back to his fool idea of getting disowned. Lithe is right when she says it’s a last resort. It doesn’t look good for anybody when things go that far.”

Shade blinked rapidly. Was that what was wrong with Breeze and Whirlwind and perhaps also the annoying consort who’d tormented Breeze’s warrior? Instincts going haywire? He’d begun to think the generations born after him were all wild hellions.

“Are you planning to stay much longer?” Shade inquired of Moon. “I like having you here but I suppose you’ll want to be home soon.”

“I don’t see that there’s anything else I can do here,” Moon said, “but I want to know what Onyx will say. Then we’ll be on our way.” He eyed Shade. “Will you promise me not to let Consolation take you?”

It should have been a laughable question, but Shade found himself almost reluctant to commit. He didn’t want Consolation now, but what if that changed? Some consorts only accepted a queen later in life and his choices were rather few. 

“I wouldn’t unless I really wanted to,” he said at last. “I can’t say how likely that would be.”

“That’s fine.” Then Moon hastily added, “I don’t mean to say I disapprove of you breeding! If Kethel and First and Third can be real people, with needs and wants and personalities, then any child of yours would be perfectly fine. They wouldn’t be…empty.”

If Consolation took a consort it would expressly for the purpose of breeding. But Shade had spent all his life believing he could never risk fathering children, for fear of creating monsters. Considering the possibility of fatherhood now was alarming. “I hadn’t really thought about it in details. Are…are you sure they would be fine?”

Chime popped his head in. “Can we come back?”

“Chime, come here,” Moon said. “Tell me again what it was like, when you got a look into that progenitor’s mind. You said the whole flight was like a group mind.”

Chime sat down next to Moon and considered the question before answering, his eyes unfocused. “That’s what I said at the time, but now I think that what I saw was the progenitor’s grip upon the others’ minds. When Lithe looked into Kethel’s mind, she couldn’t see any influence from a ruler of a progenitor. I’m starting to think the Fell as we knew them before are like that because the progenitor won’t let them be anything else. She slaves them to her will. The rulers might have some independence, but even they can’t rebel.”

“That’s why only Consolation could take down the progenitor,” Moon said. “And now that she’s in charge... She connects to her flight like a Raksura queen, not like a progenitor, so they have space to be their own person. That doesn’t mean they’re all nice, or that some wouldn’t happily go back to eating us if Consolation wasn’t there, but…”

“Raksura solitaries exist for a reason,” Stone commented. “We have our deranged ones, too.” He eyed Moon. “If I had to bet, I’d bet on your bloodline winning over the Fell’s. Nobody’s more stubborn than you lot.”

“That’s funny coming from you,” Moon shot back, but without much heat.

Shade moved his shoulders, trying to settle his non-existing spines. “I don’t plan to breed,” he said firmly, “but it’s good to know. I can tell Breeze about this, if it comes up.”

Shade went to bed still unsettled by the idea of siring children. He liked going to the nursery as much as any other consort, but was that a reasonable basis for making babies?

Flicker stopped what he was doing between Shade’s legs, noticing he wasn’t getting the usual results. “You’re not interested tonight?”

“Sorry,” Shade said. “I’m a bit distracted.”

Flicker peered at him in the near-darkness of the bower. “Is something the matter?”

“I don’t know,” Shade said helplessly. 

“Tell me when you find out.” Without further comment, Flicker curled his warm groundling body around Shade and proceeded to pet him to sleep. This, this was why Flicker was his favorite…

*

The next day, Onyx’s capitulation to Breeze was the court’s primary gossip. The terms were much as Stone had suggested: a waiting period of a full turn, and meetings with eligible queens of other courts. If, at the end of the turn, Breeze was still interested in Consolation, Onyx would give her grudging consent.

Someone asked Shade if Indigo Cloud’s daughter-queen Frost might be put on the list of such eligible queens, on the theory that Indigo Cloud had experience with difficult consorts.

“She’s too young,” Shade answered. “Barely a daughter-queen and certainly not able to make decisions regarding consorts yet. Moon wouldn’t allow it.” It was weird to think that Consolation was barely older than Frost, but there was a big difference between a young daughter queen and a young reigning queen. One had the leisure to grow up slowly; the other didn’t. 

A message had apparently already been sent to invite Consolation over again, though it wasn’t entirely clear if Onyx had allowed that or if Breeze had skirted her will again. Shade was unwillingly impressed by Breeze’s determination, and so agreed to participate again. 

Shade and Breeze, each flanked by their favorite warrior, now stood by the open doorway that served as the main entrance to the colony, waiting for their guests. Breeze wanted to show Consolation the tree’s inside gardens, so they’d escort her there to have tea and snacks. This meeting would be more relaxed, less structured. 

Moon’s arrival raised Shade’s eyebrows. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m going to chaperone,” Moon said.

Shade managed not to make a comment, but he was annoyed. Moon was his half-clutchmate, not his sire, and his hovering was getting overbearing. 

When Consolation landed outside, they immediately noticed her, and her two kethel, and…a ruler? It made Shade uneasy. There had to be a reason for the ruler to be there, but it might not be a happy reason. 

Moon picked up on his doubts. “What is it?”

“She didn’t bring a ruler last time,” he said. 

Moon didn’t ask why that should be weird, which was good because Shade couldn’t quite articulate it himself. It just felt like something Consolation wouldn’t do without good reason. 

A female Opal Night warrior stepped forward for the greeting. “Welcome back to our court,” she said cheerfully. “I see you brought someone new.”

When he responded, Kethel sounded…worried? Wary? “My queen requests an audience with Malachite. It’s urgent.”

“Oh.” The warrior’s tone went from cheerfully to worried. “Please come inside and we’ll send someone to tell the reigning queen.”

Shade looked at Flicker, who bounded away to convey the message to Malachite. Moon looked at his warrior River, who also bounded away—probably to get Stone. 

Consolation and the others came inside in groundling shapes, their pale serious faces looking almost sinister. 

Breeze immediately stepped forward to address Consolation, which was more forward than he should strictly be with a foreign queen he’d only recently met, even an allied one. “We sent a warrior to Malachite. What’s wrong?”

Consolation, evidently more aware of the finer points of Raksura protocol than Shade had thought her to be, did not respond directly to Breeze but pretended to be talking to the female warrior instead. “Malachite will have to decide if we should talk about it.”

Breeze took the hint and went quiet, but he didn’t need to have his spines to betray nervousness. He clearly worried all his plans were in jeopardy, which went to show how young he was. Three years ago Breeze and his age mates had still been young enough to be shielded from their elders’ fears about the Fell attack and just young enough not to have the terrible dream. 

Shade, and everybody else who did have the dream back then, would worry that Consolation had, say, news of a new upcoming Fell assault on the Reaches. He could see the same fear in Moon’s stiff posture. It would explain the ruler’s presence. 

When Flicker came back, it was to say, “Malachite will see Consolation right away in the queens’ level.”

The female warrior started leading Consolation that way. Evidently obeying some sort of signal from Consolation, the two kethel stayed behind. Only the ruler followed her, and rather reluctantly at that. 

Of a common accord, Shade and Moon started trailing after. But after a few paces Shade stopped and turned to look at Breeze, who was trying to follow. 

“I don’t think this is about you,” Shade said. 

“But--”

“Do you want Malachite to stare at you until you decide to leave?”

That apparently changed Breeze’s mind, because he did not follow further.

“What if Malachite stares at us until we decide to leave?” Moon asked idly. 

“She knows that wouldn’t work.” 

“You’ve gotten very rebellious.”

“I wonder who I learned this from?”

Moon pretended to take a swipe at him with his tail and Shade swallowed a quip about consorts who started behaving like cranky line grandfather way before their time. If he made Moon self-conscious about it, Moon would try to correct his behavior, and that was not what Shade wanted. 

Stone caught up with them as they entered the queens’ level. Auburn the head mentor was already there, possibly fetched by someone else. 

Malachite flicked them a brief look but declined to object to their presence. Maybe she, too, was worried Consolation had Very Bad News and it was quicker if more people heard about it at once.

“Tell me,” Malachite said, standing still like a rock. A very dangerous rock. 

Consolation grabbed her ruler’s wrist and tugged him from behind her, where he’d been trying to hide. “Tell her what you told me,” she said softly. 

The ruler spoke while looking at a very interesting spot on the polished wood floor. “You know rulers can hear each other. The other flights hate us, and don’t speak to us, but we sometimes overhear bits and pieces. I…” He took a deep breath. “There’s a flight out there that still has crossbreeds. One…one seems to be a consort-ruler.”

“What do you want to do about this information?”

Consolation let the ruler go back to lurking behind her. “I want to go get them. Rescue them. A consort-ruler might be what my flight needs. But First thinks it could be a trap to draw me. They hate me so very much.” Consolation looked worn in a way that nobody this young should ever look. “If I go, I endanger my flight’s survival. If I don’t, perhaps I also endanger my flight’s survival. I don’t know what to do.”

“You seek my help.”

“Your counsel,” Consolation corrected, looking up at Malachite. “We’re strong enough to fight, but I don’t know if we should.”

“Why did you say it was urgent?”

“Because we know where they are now, but if they move too far away we will lose them. The ruler connection is not a constant. If it is a trap, they’ll wait for us. If it isn’t, then they might move at any moment and I might lose my chance. How can I tell which it is?” Consolation tossed her head, either impatient or frustrated. 

“We should rescue them whether it’s a trap or not,” Lithe said as soon as there was a lull in the conversation. “Just think what their lives must be like!”

“If it were me, I think I would want to be rescued,” Shade said. Yet, Consolation had said it hadn’t been so bad from her perspective. “But they might not think so, because they don’t know any better. They’re grown, not babies, and might not want to come with us. Will we steal them? Steal a half-fell consort?”

A few people hissed, appalled. Only Consolation looked like she understood his point. Perhaps she had already considered this but hadn’t wanted to talk of stealing consorts in front of touchy Raksura. 

“When a progenitor dies…” The ruler halted with a quick glance at Consolation but continued when no objection came. “When a progenitor dies, most of the flight will accept another, like the progenitor’s daughter if there’s one, or even an unrelated progenitor who happens to be close enough to bond them.”

Consolation’s spines angled to skepticism, surely for the Raksura’s benefit. “I can’t rely on that. Some might accept me, but they also might not. Even the half ones might reject me. And if they don’t reject me… Taking in too many would be hard. We don’t have enough food yet.” 

“Regardless of all that,” Stone said. “If they have half breeds it means they attacked, and probably destroyed, a court. It’s too late for that court but we should stop that progenitor so she can never do it again. We can’t allow Fell to think of any Raksura courts as prey. We’ve lost too many to them already.”

“That is true,” Malachite said, finally stirring. Stone’s words must appeal to her never-satisfied desire for vengeance for what the Fell had done to her and hers. “Where are they?”

Consolation gestured vaguely. “Four or five days of flying at our speed.” Kethel, when working together, could cover ground faster than anyone except Stone. 

“We could scry on this,” Auburn said. “And see if we may gain any insight about whether to go or not.”

“Try it,” Malachite said. 

Auburn and Lithe headed out, and Malachite stepped forward to talk to Consolation. Shade turned to Moon with a frown. “What do you think? You didn’t say anything.”

“I don’t know what to think,” Moon said. “I agree with Lithe that it’s sad to leave half-Raksura out there, but I also agree with you that they don’t know they need rescue. And I agree with Stone, too, that it’s dangerous to let progenitors think they can get away with preying on Raksura. They might not want to breed with us anymore, but they’re still willing to eat us. And Consolation has a point, too, that this could be the way forward for her flight, to have a consort like her, who grew up in a Fell flight. This would take the pressure off you.”

“I don’t feel pressured,” Shade objected. 

“Yes you do. You feel sorry for her. That’s pressure.”

“Breeze is all over her. She hardly needs me.”

“If Onyx eventually agrees, if the match is fertile. There’s no guarantee.” 

“That’s all besides the point,” Shade said firmly, trying to change the subject because it was making him distinctly uncomfortable. “Is it a trap or not?”

“Does it matter? We’d probably go even if it was.”

“We?”

Moon shrugged. “Stone seems interested. He’s been bored so an outing would be good for him.”

Shade gave his half-clutchmate a Look. Only Moon would refer to a dangerous fight with Fell as “an outing,” as if it were a pleasant thing to do to relieve boredom. 

“Stone is bored, not deaf,” Stone said from nearby. 

Moon turned. “What? It’s true, isn’t it? If they go, we’ll go with?”

“What about Jade and Pearl? Just earlier you were fretting about them.”

“And you were telling me to calm down because Pearl won’t even be closeted for a few more months.”

Shade stopped paying attention to the budding argument, watching Consolation say something to Malachite and turn away to lead her nervous ruler out and presumably back home. The ruler looked terribly young, but surely he was at least older than Breeze? If Consolation went off to fight, could a ruler so young keep the rest of the flight together? Then again, Consolation was also far too young for all that she had to do, but she managed. 

Later, as Shade was sitting eating with all the Indigo Cloud visitors, Breeze’s warrior Topaz appeared in the doorway. “Shade, can I talk to you?”

“Sure.” Curious, Shade got up and moved down the hallway with Topaz to get some privacy. “What is it?”

“News is spreading about Consolation and the half-Fell consort she wants to fetch. I assume it’s true? Breeze is upset about it. Can you talk to him?”

“I’ll drop by his bower on my way back,” Shade said wearily. Was Breeze really so ostracized by the other consorts of his line that he had to rely on Shade?

“I’m sorry,” Topaz said, “but this is consort stuff. He won’t listen to me and wouldn’t listen to an Arbora either. And his sire wouldn’t be sympathetic at all.”

After a brief word to Moon, Shade followed Topaz up to the consort level, to the area where Onyx’s line dwelled. Shade had rarely been here and didn’t know the other consorts well. Those who were about startled to see him go by, in a way that felt uncomfortable and judgmental. These were the consorts who had snubbed Moon when he had first come here and they didn’t seem to have learned much from the lesson. 

Shade ignored them, but he did feel relief to finally step inside Breeze’s bower. At first the bower seemed empty, until the big pile of blankets near the hearth moved.

“Come out of there,” Shade said, in his best no-nonsense voice. Breeze reluctantly sat up as Shade settled down nearby. “So, what is it?”

“Consolation would rather go after a consort she’s never seen than try harder to get either of us. Aren’t you insulted?”

Breeze was apparently still under the impression that Shade was interested—but Shade didn’t care to argue about that. “Why is that insulting? That consort might be in need of rescue and might be easier to court. Consolation is probably skeptical that Onyx will ever let you go to her even if you don’t change your mind. It’s her responsibility to do everything she can to secure her flight’s future, and right now that means exploring all avenues of getting a consort.”

“Maybe,” Breeze said grudgingly. He seemed to be thinking it over. “Are you going?”

“Why would I go?”

“You went last time.”

“That was in case they needed me to open Forerunner doors. I shouldn’t be needed to fight Fell.”

“Well, a consort has to go,” Breeze said. “To talk to the half-Fell consort. He’ll think he’s being stolen by a scary foreign queen.”

“Moon and Stone will probably go.”

“They aren’t half-Fell though. That other consort might not trust them.”

“He wouldn’t necessarily trust me either.”

“You’re still the best choice,” Breeze insisted. “Just by looking like a well-cared-for consort you might reassure him he’s not going to be mistreated by Fell-hating Raksura.”

“You baffle me, sometimes,” Shade said. “Are you already reconciled to this?”

“No,” Breeze said glumly. “But I see the logic now and I can’t argue against it so I better accept it. A court needs more than a single consort for good bloodlines. I just wanted to be someone’s first choice. I could accept being second to someone like you, but to an unknown stranger? It hurts, that’s all.”

Shade nearly flinched and didn’t quite know why. “I never expected to be wanted by a queen at all. It’s not so terrible.”

Breeze looked at him earnestly. “You can expect better. If you show a shred of interest, Consolation will respond to you. I know she will.”

By the time Shade got back to his own bower for the night, he found Flicker already asleep in his bed and Lithe sitting by his hearth, looking pensive. He went to sit with her, keeping his voice low even though it was difficult to wake a warrior. 

“Is something wrong?”

“Not as such,” Lithe said. “We finished the augury and the results are a little unusual. We didn’t get anything about our court at all, no warning of danger or such. So we tried focusing on Consolation’s flight and we saw…a clutch.”

“A clutch?” Shade repeated blankly. “Babies?”

“Yes. Five babies, with at least one winged female. The shifted ones looked like little Raksura, but with black scales.”

“Little half-Fell. Third’s clutch?”

“Maybe. But we were trying to see what would happen if we went after that other Fell Flight so it’s more likely to mean that if we go, Consolation’s flight will get this clutch. We’re not sure if it’s a clutch that is currently at the other flight and that we would bring home, or a clutch that Consolation herself would bear as a result of taking the consort there.” 

“Isn’t this good?” Shade asked. “Babies would help Consolation’s flight.”

“I don’t know.” Lithe made a frustrated gesture. “I feel like we’re missing something. Just because it seems like good news…” 

“Maybe the babies are the trap, the way the Fell want to lure us in?”

“I didn’t get any bad feelings. They were just babies. They seemed contented, sleepy. If there’s a trap, it’s that Fellborn consort. But we got nothing about him specifically. Unless, of course, he’s the father of that clutch.”

They sat in silence a while, thinking it over, until Shade asked, “Is Malachite going to tell Consolation? She’ll definitely go if she hears about this. It seems to confirm her hopes.”

“That’s exactly what worries me. She’ll take it to mean the Fellborn consort will be receptive to her, but that may not be what it means.”

“Hm. For all we know, that’s Breeze’s clutch you saw. Maybe Consolation comes back disappointed and that spurs her to work hard to gain our approval and court Breeze openly.” 

“Also possible.”

Flicker made a noise and flopped to look over the edge of the bed down at them. “Are you coming to bed?” he complained grumpily. “It’s late.”

“Warriors,” Lithe said, amused. “Go sleep, Shade, we’ll talk later.”

*

By the next day everybody knew about the augury, so even if Malachite hadn’t wanted to tell Consolation, some Arbora would probably have slipped and mentioned it in front of dakti anyway.

Shade spent a good deal of the day listening to other people, mostly Arbora, talk the situation over to great and tedious lengths. At this point it seemed obvious they would go. Babies were not a deterrent. To the contrary, the Arbora were betting on who the sire would turn out to be. 

A couple turns ago, the prospect of new Fellborn Raksura would have horrified everybody. Now, they knew Consolation well enough to feel sorry for her lack of consort and children and to be glad of the prospect of babies, the same as for any other close ally. Shade listened to them and marveled at how much attitudes had changed. 

People also seemed to have forgotten the whole don’t-talk-about-Fell-in-front-of-Shade thing. Perhaps because he’d met with Consolation when she visited and hadn’t fainted or run screaming.

The other popular conversation subject was who-will-get-to-go. The warriors were abuzz over that one. There’d been no significant opportunity for a fight in the last few turns, as they’d been busy helping Consolation’s flight get established. Even the big scary predators that sometimes came through their territory had been scarce, likely catching scent of their neighbors. 

Still dwelling on what Breeze had said, Shade couldn’t make up his mind if he wanted, or if he should, ask to go. He went to ask Moon’s opinion—he and the others were still here and would probably come along. Heart had even helped with the augury.

As he approached his destination, Shade heard Stone growl. “You’re going home, Heart. We’re not bringing an Arbora into this.”

Shade stopped and turned right around. He didn’t want to walk into an Indigo Cloud argument. They could go on forever. He’d come back later.


	5. Chapter 5 - Moon

Chapter 5  
Moon

“You’re going home, Heart,” Stone growled. “We’re not bringing an Arbora into this.”

“I was there when we last chased Fell,” Heart shot back, not intimidated in the least. “And you’ll need a mentor along to scry.”

“Opal Night has more than enough mentors for that.”

Moon waded in with his own argument, because he was very much on Stone’s side on this one. “Indigo Cloud doesn’t have all that many mentors and needs all of them to watch over Pearl and her clutch. If anything did go wrong, neither of us could do anything about it. You, however, might.” Heart seemed about to object again so Moon continued, “We need you to go and watch over them for us so we don’t get distracted with worry. Please.” 

That last argument seemed to score a hit and Heart deflated. “Oh, very well. I’ll go home.”

The warriors had already been standing around with their packs, waiting for the outcome of the argument before heading home. 

Chime came to rest his face against Moon’s collarbone. “Be careful.”

“Between Stone, my mother, and my clutchmate, I don’t think I’ll be in much danger,” Moon said wryly. “Try saying that to Jade.”

“Ugg,” Chime said. “You give me the worst tasks.”

“Sorry. I’ll make it up to you when I get home.” Moon sent Chime off with a nip.

The warriors filed out after Heart, Serene giving them a last, worried look, and River giving them a last, disgruntled look because he’d wanted to go as well. It warmed Moon’s heart to have such dependable warriors willing to follow them into danger but he wasn’t going to put them into a fight if he didn’t have to. The last time they’d brought warriors on a grand quest, they’d lost Song. She’d been dead for turns yet her loss stung still. 

Stone stalked off, clearly still irritated by the argument, and Moon trailed after him. Breezing past a handful of warriors who looked like they wanted to stop him but didn’t quite dare, Stone walked into a small room where Malachite and Consolation were conversing. Moon hadn’t had any idea Consolation was in the colony, but clearly Stone’s superior senses had noticed her. 

The Fell had always had a stench to them but somehow Consolation and her flight didn’t smell nearly as bad. Maybe because they bathed and didn’t marinate in their own filth and their prey’s blood like so many of the Fell did. Their change in diet might also have something to do with it but Moon didn’t want to think about that.

“I’ll go scout,” Stone said to Malachite. “I’m fastest.”

“I’m going too,” Moon said quickly. 

“Take Keth,” Consolation suggested. “He’s waiting outside. He will guide you.”

“Keth?”

“You called him Kethel, but I don’t think that’s appropriate,” Consolation said.

Moon would have bet groundling money that an Arbora had told her that and the Arbora was right. The nickname “Kethel” had been a placeholder for their convenience, not an attempt to actually name him. Moon should have realized that a Fell who idolized consorts might have taken the nickname a little too seriously…

“Wait,” Moon said. “I thought it was only the rulers who can feel the other flights. How can a kethel guide us?”

“Rulers can also feel where their flight’s kethel are. If you’re heading in the wrong direction my rulers will send Keth a signal. I can’t send a ruler directly because the other flight’s rulers might feel him approaching. That would be bad.”

Instead of arguing, Stone huffed. “Fine.”

Malachite only said, “Can you leave now?”

And that was how Stone and Moon ended up flying away with their travel packs and a kethel in tow. It was almost nostalgic. 

As daylight began to fail, they slowed after passing a herd of hoppers on a large, somewhat overgrown platform. That would be dinner, so they needed a place to sleep nearby.

Stone landed on a promising platform, not too big and fairly open. These two things reduced the odds of stumbling upon a nesting predator.

“I fetch food,” Keth said, banking away.

Moon, who had been about to land, swept around to follow, vaguely alarmed at the idea of a Fell trying to hunt. 

Ahead, Keth picked up speed as he dove and crashed into the hopper herd at a speed that seemed designed to break his fool neck. But when the fleeing hoppers cleared, Keth was standing atop three dead or dying hoppers. He’d crushed them with his sheer bulk. 

Grabbing a kill in each massive hand, and the third in his jaw, Keth pushed off the edge of the platform and flapped over to where Stone was building a fire. 

“Did you see that?” Moon asked of Stone, incredulous. “He just bashed the herd with his body! That’s not hunting, that’s dangerous!”

“It works,” Keth rumbled after dropping the hopper in his mouth. He pushed one kill towards Moon and one towards Stone before beginning to eat the third one. Moon ate half of his, carefully so he didn’t cut himself on the broken bones resulting from Keth’s special brand of hunting, and let Stone have the rest. 

After eating, they shifted down to groundling for a cup of tea, at which point Keth ventured, “Story time?”

Stone sighed. “A short one.”

“ _I_ tell a story this time,” Keth said. He immediately began talking in the smooth way of someone who had well memorized a tale. “There was once a Fell flight like any other flight. But this flight’s progenitor bore a daughter who was half Raksura and this new sort of progenitor, this new queen, was not like any other…”

Moon, mouth half-open to protest he’d rather sleep than hear a story, shut his mouth hard and fast. This story…he did want to hear it.

*

Over the next few days, they flew as fast as Moon and Keth could go and, when they could go no further, they shifted and let Stone carry them onward. In this manner they made tremendous progress, leaving the Reaches behind and crossing grasslands towards distant mountains.

Moon privately wondered when Stone had decided he didn’t mind carrying a kethel. Was it because of the story? It had featured a tiny kethel saved from being eaten by a small but fierce Fellborn queen who’d—without either of them realizing it at the time—thereby bonded him and protected him from the mental influence of the progenitor and her rulers. In the story’s climax, the kethel had helped his queen defeat the evil progenitor and take over the flight. 

After spending time with so many different species, Moon understood that the stories people told about themselves said a lot about who they were and what they valued. If this was the story Consolation’s flight wanted to tell about their beginnings, a story about loyalty and fighting together to overcome those who meant you harm, then Malachite’s experiment must be working. 

Maybe Stone had come to this conclusion, too. 

Keth remained diffident, calling them Old Consort and Young Consort like the first time they had—sort off—traveled together, but he was no longer wary of them. He had now been around enough Raksura to understand the social code and trust that it would keep him safe. This, too, was a good sign for the future of Consolation’s Flight in the Reaches. 

Next to Moon, Keth got suddenly stiff. Moon yelled over the wind, “Are you okay?”

Keth shook his head and grunted. “Off course. Ruler says, go further east.”

Moon relayed the information by yelling it into Stone’s ear. Stone corrected his path while Moon watched Keth. When nothing further happened, Moon assumed they were back on track. 

Later, when they landed, Moon asked, “Was that uncomfortable? What the ruler did?”

Keth met his gaze squarely. “He tells. He doesn’t make.”

Moon caught the echo of their long-ago conversation. “Good.” He glanced at the sun, distracted. “Stone, isn’t it a bit early to stop? There’s daylight left.”

Stone shifted down to groundling and stretched. “I didn’t stop to sleep. I stopped because I smell Fell. Other Fell.”

They were in the mountains now, but these only had snow at the very top, featuring grassy valleys and windy plateau below. Moon didn’t scent anything but mountain air and trees but he didn’t doubt Stone’s assertion. 

“I don’t remember any large city around here,” Stone said, looking round as if he might have missed it. “What is a Fell flight doing here?”

“I’ve found cities in worse places,” Moon said, thinking of the turning city he had stopped in with Jade. “These valleys look like good grazing ground.”

The place looked suspiciously empty. Some manner of grasseaters, wild or domestic, should have been enjoying the green bounty. It was like something had scared the local wildlife into hiding. Something like a bunch of hungry Fell. 

Stone glanced at the horizon and the descending sun. “We can rest now and go looking for them when night falls. The sky should stay clear so we’ll have a little light.”

In the darkness they would be harder to spot for any Fell on lookout, as long as they avoided being backlit by the moon. 

Moon wasn’t peculiarly tired so while Stone rested his eyes, he instead went foraging, never venturing out of sight for safety’s sake. He came back with his arms full of large ground fruits that smelled edible. They would need richer nourishment soon, but this snack would do for now. 

When the sun finally vanished they took flight, careful to stay low and near the spindly trees. A number of night creatures startled as they glided past as slowly as possible to avoid running face-first into an unseen obstacle. 

They skimmed over a low peak and suddenly Moon could smell Fell. A lot of Fell. In his haste to land he nearly bashed himself into a rock. The others had dropped down, too. 

Nothing threw itself at them, so they must not have been noticed. The rank odor of rot was proof this was an old-style Flight, but it was the scent of fresh blood that caught Moon’s attention. The Fell had recently fed. The question was, who or what had they fed on?

They were in a small, enclosed valley, its main access a pass between two peaks. This pass was now clogged by a massive rock fall that must not have occurred naturally, given there was a large kethel sitting on top of it, clearly outlined by moonlight. 

A gust of wind brought a faint scent of wood smoke. Fell didn’t make campfires so there were trapped groundlings somewhere in here. Perhaps this valley was home to a village, the inhabitants now trapped with nowhere to go. 

Bleats and snorts betrayed the presence of grasseaters. Quite a lot of them, Moon discovered when he crept further on and found his way blocked by a massive herd of rounded grasseaters with tiny stubs for legs. The nearest ones grunted warningly, but didn’t panic. Livestock, then, not wild beasts.

“They probably rounded up all the people and livestock up here,” Moon murmured after he crept back to the others. “It’s quiet and remote so nobody will notice these people are missing for a while.”

Stone rumbled, probably in agreement. He hadn’t shifted down to groundling because his senses were more acute in his scaled form. 

“This is more intelligent than normal,” Keth said unhappily. “The livestock can graze and stay alive longer. They haven’t gone in a frenzy and killed everything. That happens a lot, when a flight attacks.”

Moon suppressed a shudder and focused his attention on the important part. “Do you think that’s a half-Raksura’s influence?”

“Or an older, smarter, progenitor,” Keth said. “Dangerous.” 

They waited a while, but except for a few dakti flying across the valley and that big kethel shifting about now and then, very little stirred in the night. They turned back as stealthily as they could—except for the strangled noise of a stray livestock beast being swallowed whole by a hungry Stone. Moon swatted him with his tail, annoyed at the risk of discovery.

They eventually ended up in a dry gully to sleep, foregoing the fire pit and tea.

“I can’t tell if it’s a trap or not,” Moon said. “They’re well settled in, as if waiting for something, but they could just be enjoying all those fat beasts.” 

“Too few lookouts for a flight expecting trouble,” Stone said, but he didn’t sound entirely convinced.

“How long until Malachite catches up, do you think?”

“Not long,” Keth said. He was sprawled down to sleep in his groundling form, because it was surprisingly warm down here in the valleys compared to the cold windiness of the peaks. “She’s coming fast.”

As far as Keth was concerned there was only one “she” and it wasn’t Malachite. But if Consolation was on her way, then Malachite was certainly along. When Moon had volunteered to come he’d understood he was committing Malachite, too. His birthqueen could be over protective, but he appreciated the kind of over protective that expressed itself as backup instead of, say, forbidding him to come at all. Which, even if she’d tried it, wouldn’t have worked. 

A weird crawling thing bit Moon during the night, so he bit it back and discovered it tasted surprisingly nice. It was only palm-sized, but when he went looking in the morning he found a whole colony of them, enough to make a light breakfast for him and Keth. He didn’t give Stone any. 

“You got your meal yesterday,” Moon told Stone crankily. 

Keth, after working his way through his share of the crunchy crawling things, said, “I think I should go spy on that flight.”

“Won’t they know you’re not part of their flight as soon as they see you?”

“The progenitor or the rulers will know if I get too close and they realize they can’t see into me, but…” Keth shrugged like a groundling, lifting his shoulders not to settle spines, which kethel didn’t have even in scaled form, but to indicate doubt or indifference. “Progenitors send rulers to do thinking things, not kethel. They won’t think to notice.”

Moon and Stone looked at each other rather doubtfully. Moon found himself reluctant to put Keth in danger—again. Last time it hadn’t gone so well. 

“I smell too clean,” Keth said again, apparently ignoring their byplay. “I need blood.”

After scaring up a few small furred creatures, Keth ate them as messily as possible, letting blood dribble from the corner of his mouth. He rolled around to gather a coat of dust and sniffed out some foul-smelling plant to smear on top of that. 

Keth sniffed himself with apparent satisfaction. “That should do.”

Moon chewed his lower lip, fighting the urge to object. “Be careful. If you get in trouble, fly toward us as fast as you can. Stone can grab us both and wing it out.”

“That would blow our cover,” Keth objected. 

Moon spent a second wondering where Keth had learned the phrase “blow someone’s cover.” It was such a groundling concept. “I don’t care. If they hurt you, Consolation will be pissed.” He didn’t know Consolation much, but he knew what queens were like in general and none of them liked losing one of their own. 

“All will be well, Young Consort,” Keth said, apparently trying to reassure him. “I’ll come back when the sun goes down.”

They watched him go.

“I hope this isn’t a mistake,” Moon said glumly. 

Stone grunted agreement. 

They waited. And waited. Moon gathered whatever food he could find nearby, in case they had to leave in a hurry. Cooking the crawling thingies turned out to be a good idea, although he wished he had spiced roots to go with. 

Stone mostly rested, watching the horizon in the direction Keth had gone, and ate whatever Moon gave him. Getting ready for a speedy exit, Moon guessed. 

The sun headed downward, vanishing early here in these deep valleys. 

“If he doesn’t show up soon I’m going to go see what’s happened,” Moon said, trying and failing not to pace. Waiting was awful and he hated it. 

“Here he comes,” Stone said, reacting to some noise or scent.

“How can you tell it’s not a kethel we don’t like?” Moon muttered.

Stone ignored him. 

A large scaled shape landed and immediately shifted down into a naked, bulky groundling shape. “The consort noticed me,” Keth said sheepishly as he reached for the kilt he had left behind.

Moon tensed. “Do we need to get away?”

“He wanted to talk. Asked if the halfling queen was coming for him. They all know about her.”

“What did you say?”

“I said he could come with me now, and he replied his progenitor would know if he tried to leave and would come after him. I said maybe my queen would come, maybe not.”

Mon sighed. “That doesn’t help much. Either he wants to be taken away, and maybe plotted for it, or it is a trap for Consolation after all.”

“I didn’t say there might be Raksura,” Keth said slyly. “They think Consolation would come alone, because she wants the consort for herself. In their thinking, a Raksura queen would only come with if she wanted to fight Consolation for the consort. They don’t know anything about helping allies just to help.”

“Well done,” Stone said. “Did you find out where the progenitor is?”

“Maybe,” Keth said. “The consort said she was in the big round hut. I saw a ruler so I couldn’t go close. Could still be a trap. Maybe the progenitor is elsewhere.”

They set up a watch for the night, in case unfriendly Fell tried to find them, and slept restlessly. In the morning, Moon woke up to a foot prodding him in the ribs. 

“Morning,” Shade greeted him. “Do you plan to sleep through the attack, too?”

“I—what?” Sitting up, Moon realized there were now over a hundred warriors and dakti about, plus a couple kethel and queens, and, apparently, one more consort. “What are you doing here, Shade?”

Shade ‘s spines dropped. “Not much. I thought I should come so the Fellborn consort wouldn’t be scared and alone, but Keth said he’s eager to go with Consolation.”

“Something like that. It seems a little…odd.”

“Like it’s a trap, yes.”

Shade’s warrior Flicker put in, “Since we’ve come all this way, the queens want to go anyway. Trap or no trap.”

The queens in question were Malachite, Celadon, and Consolation. Plus one? “Is that Ivory in the back?”

Shade followed his gaze. “Yes. I don’t know if she’s Onyx’s spy or if she genuinely wanted to come, but Malachite allowed it.”

“Well. Four queens against one progenitor… If it’s a trap she’ll regret it.”

“Malachite sent warriors circling round the other valleys. We can’t find any other Fell lying in wait and Consolation’s rulers confirmed before we left they couldn’t feel any other flight around.”

Moon watched from afar as Malachite said something to the younger queens, who all signaled agreement in response. Black scales aside, Consolation looked like just another daughter queen. 

“What’s the plan?”

“Consolation’s flight will attack from upwind and engage the other flight. We’ll attack from downwind as soon as they clash. The young queens will take down any ruler they see and assist Malachite in finding and killing the progenitor. As soon as the progenitor falls, Consolation will try to assert control over the flight. You and I are to look specifically for the consort.”

While Shade explained this, Consolation was gathering her forces and taking to the air to lead them. It felt early in the day for a fight but Moon was all for it; he was tired of waiting. 

Malachite turned and caught his eye. She glanced at Shade, then back at him. Moon shifted so he could signal assent with his spines. Yes, he’d watch Shade and keep him out of the fighting. He realized she was giving him this task to keep him out of the fighting, too, but he didn’t mind. 

The Raksura moved shortly after Consolation’s flight. The queens led them to a downwind position, everybody flying low and slow. When the cue came they all landed and crawled up the rest of the way to look over a ridge. 

Consolation’s flight was in view, circling high in the sky in what Moon instinctively grasped was some kind of threat display, or challenge, from one flight to another. It was a great way to capture the enemy flight’s attention and give the Raksura time to get into position. 

At first nothing happened, then suddenly the dakti exploded upwards like a dark cloud with the kethel, slower to get off the ground, following shortly after. At least one ruler was in there, hard to spot in the dakti swarm.

The Fell left behind clustered about that big hut Keth had mentioned, almost certainly some clan chief’s ex-home, sitting above the rest of the small village. Either the progenitor was in there or it was a decoy. The question was whether these Fell were smart enough to enact a decoy.

Malachite apparently thought not, because she took off straight for the hut. Stone went after the kethel guarding the pass, which hadn’t gone up with the others. Meanwhile the warriors peeled off to assist Consolation’s flight, accompanied by Ivory. Celadon followed her birthqueen and, after a moment, Moon did too. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure Shade and Flicker were sticking close. The consort was likely to be near the progenitor since Moon hadn’t seen him take to the air. 

Landing hard, Moon bounced to the hut’s entrance to see what was happening; the doorway was damaged from Malachite forcing her bulk through, but the ceiling inside was high enough for her to rear to her full height as she fought a progenitor who clearly had no chance. Celadon was busy with a ruler and Moon dove inside just long enough to grab a dakti trying to come up behind her. 

Moon walked back out and told Shade and Flicker, “No consort. We’ll check the other huts.”

Shade was staring at something with predator intensity, his spines rising. “Over there. That’s either a ruler or a consort trying to sneak away.”

Indeed, a dark-scaled person too tall to be a dakti and too slender to be a kethel was moving away from the village, trying to hide in the sparse vegetation. 

They went after him. 

The battle above was so noisy that their arrival was noticed only too late; the deserter startled to find them descending upon him and put his back to a tree, as if preparing to fight. Up close he was clearly built like Shade, looking like a Raksura with thick plates instead of small scales. 

“I thought you wanted to be taken away from here,” Shade said. “So why are you hiding?” 

The nameless Fellborn consort stared at Shade. “Who are you? I thought the queen… I thought she needed a consort.”

Before anyone could answer, the Fellborn consort looked up sharply. Moon glanced up, too, to see the enemy flight in disarray, many fleeing the battle. 

“The progenitor is dead,” the Fellborn consort said, apparently to no one in peculiar. He sounded pleased about it. 

The fleeing Fell started converging again, towards one of the peaks. There stood a dark figure, visibly only because she stood out against the bare grey rock. Was that Consolation, taking over the enemy Fell? But why was she over there, and not in the melee? Looking again, Moon spotted Consolation flying right over his head. Then who was that over there?

While Moon was thus distracted, he apparently missed the moment the consort tried to make away; Shade was suddenly in front of him, grabbing the Fellborn consort’s wrist with a sharp, “Oh, no, you give us answers first. Who is that and what’s happening?” 

The consort tensed, about to fight, but Moon caught his gaze and put in his voice the authority of a First Consort. “Don’t.”

The Fellborn consort subsided in a way that proved he possessed the instinctive urge to defer to an older consort, even one not related to him. That was a Raksura thing more than a Fell thing. The Fell, as far as Moon could tell, enforced hierarchy more directly, with their mind powers. 

“Talk,” Moon said, looming above the Fellborn consort to trigger more of that instinctive submission.

“We were born together,” the Fellborn consort said reluctantly, avoiding his gaze. “She tried to fight the progenitor and lost. She got away but the progenitor wouldn’t let me go with her.”

Moon took a moment to work out the implications. “Did you lure Consolation here so she would fight the progenitor and give you an opening to escape and join your exiled clutchmate?” 

Moon took the consort’s silence as confirmation and hissed out in irritation. This was going to be a mess. 

“That’s somewhat clever,” Shade said, “But you overlooked the part where you’re basically inviting Consolation to kill your clutchmate to take you.”

“I was supposed to sneak away unseen,” the Fellborn consort shot back. 

Flicker looked at Moon and Moon moved a spine in assent. Yes, he did notice how this young consort reacted to Shade, another half-Fell, as if to a rival. Shade was using it to try and draw further information out. 

“Well, that didn’t work,” Shade said. “What do you plan to do now?”

They didn’t get the answer because Consolation suddenly landed among them and the Fellborn consort jerked away from her, eyes wide. 

“Easy,” Moon said soothingly. To Consolation, he explained, “That’s his queenly clutchmate over here. I don’t think he’s looking for a new queen.”

Consolation stared at the Fellborn consort in an interested way that made Moon uneasy. Oh, this was going to be a mess alright. If Consolation tried to take this consort against his will, he might have to do something. 

“The other queen is coming,” Flicker said quietly. As a good warrior, he’d been watching their back. 

The other Fellborn queen was flying straight to them, the rest of her flight hanging back as if to signal she didn’t want to resume the hostilities—or not just yet.

Landing nearby, the Fellborn queen demanded, “Let him go. He’s mine.”

Consolation locked gaze with her rival. “He told my kethel he wanted me to take him away. Why shouldn’t I?”

The Fellborn queen’s gaze flickered to all of them and although she showed no overt emotion, her hesitation was clear. She was about Consolation’s age and not fool enough to think she could take them all on herself. She could bring her new flight to bear, but they had already been badly battered and could not win. 

Consolation took a step forward. “Don’t mind them. It’s usual for queens to battle over consorts. Shall we?”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Flicker said.

“I’m not worried,” Shade said. “Consolation knows what she’s doing.”

Moon side-eyed Shade, wondering where that faith came from, and muttered, “ _I’m_ worried.” 

Consolation’s flight couldn’t afford to lose her and she also couldn’t afford to be seen taking a consort by force. Defeating a rival was all well and good, but a consort wasn’t likely to be won over by the sight of a foreign queen slaughtering his clutchmate. 

The dark queens took to the air and clashed, once, twice, thrice. Consolation was only slightly bigger, but she moved with absolutely confidence. 

The consort hissed as if in pain a moment before it became clear his clutchmate had taken a hit and was bleeding. Consolation bled, too, but hers were shallow scratches as of yet. 

Locked together, the dark queens spun and spun in the air, losing altitude fast. They crashed in the tall grass, Consolation holding her stunned opponent down. The other Fellborn queen bared her teeth, but she was helpless now.

“No!” The Fellborn consort tried to throw himself forward to rescue his clutchmate, but Moon and Shade each grabbed one of his arms. He would have fought in earnest, but had no chance to do so; Stone’s massive clawed hand appeared out of nowhere and pinned him down. The consort kept struggling anyway, panting for breath. 

It wasn’t only Stone who’d come over to watch the fight and its conclusion; the fighters were now surrounded by scores of colorful and attentive Raksura. 

Everybody heard it when Consolation said, in a carrying voice, “Do you yield?” 

“W-what?”

Consolation leaned in, not unlike the way Moon had done to pressure the other consort to submit. “Do you yield or shall I rip your throat out while your clutchmate watches?”

“I-I yield.”

Consolation left her opponent on the ground and walked over to the clustered consorts. “Let him up, please.”

Stone moved his massive hand and the consort jumped up, craning his neck for a good look at his clutchmate. Then he refocused his attention on Consolation, wary and silent. 

“I won,” Consolation said, watching him. “Will you accept me or do you still prefer her?”

“I can choose?” the consort asked, skeptical. 

“Queens may fight, but ultimately, consorts choose.”

The consort stared at her, evidently trying to judge her sincerity. Defiance in his posture, he finally said, “I don’t want you. I want my flight.”

“Very well. Go.”

The consort bolted for his clutchmate, who had made it to her feet and was gingerly moving her wings. They weren’t broken, but they would clearly hurt for a while. 

The Fellborn clutchmates stood shoulder to shoulder as the queenly one asked, “Why?”

Consolation considered her. “You didn’t call your flight to save you. Why?”

“They would have lost.”

“So you’d rather have let me have them after your death rather than order them to kill themselves?” 

The other queen didn’t respond. She was eerily still and expressionless, the way Fell so often were.

“Remember this,” Consolation continued. “If you want to trade with us one day, find a way to feed your flight without eating groundlings. We don’t approve of that. If you need help, your rulers can contact mine.”

“The Fell trade?” Moon wondered aloud.

“I think they trade breeding males,” Shade said. “Not unlike courts.”

“Huh.”

The clutchmates flew away, the queen unsteadily, and were quickly swallowed by the rest of their flight. 

Consolation looked over at Malachite, who had taken up position close enough to see and hear everything, and asked, “Did I do well?”

“You’re a reigning queen,” Malachite replied. “Your decisions are your own.”

“But you think I should have killed her.”

“Mercy is a risk. But sometimes worth it.”

Consolation looked faintly pleased.

Moon sighed.

“What?” Shade said.

“Malachite’s adopted Consolation, hasn’t she? She’s the scariest predator in all the Reaches, and she keeps picking up strays.”

*

Now that the enemy had left, Malachite decided that they would camp right where they were and tend to their wounded.

Warriors went to track down the surviving groundlings, at least partly because they wanted to trade for some of the livestock. For once, Moon didn’t at all mind that the Raksura were going to massively overpay with rare and precious gems. Besides, he was busy watching Shade watching Consolation. She was sitting on the big hut’s roof, alone. 

Something was happening and Moon wasn’t sure he liked it. He also wasn’t sure it was appropriate for him to interfere. Shade wasn’t a fool and whatever decision he made would be the right one for him. 

Keth came up to them. “Young consort?”

“Yes, what?” Moon asked crankily. 

“Could you talk to her? She feels very unhappy, but if we try to approach she…pushes back.”

Moon was certain that Shade was about to offer to go, so he quickly said, “Sure,” and went to haul himself up to the roof with his claws. 

He crouched there, close enough to Consolation for conversation but no closer. She didn’t stir out of her gloomy contemplation.

“I have a question,” Moon said. “When you hit that other queen and got your claws in, the consort flinched as if he felt it. We couldn’t see the hit yet. Was he feeling it?”

“Likely.”

“If you take a consort, will he be linked like that to you?”

This startled Consolation into looking at him and considering the question. “I don’t know. A true Fell bond, the way a progenitor does it, is absolute but limited. The progenitor knows all, and controls all, but things like feelings…those are ignored. The Arbora say that a Raksura bond is a light thing, barely felt yet always there, linking your hearts.” Consolation went silent and Moon waited her out.

“My bond is not like either of these things,” Consolation said at last. “I can’t control anyone, but I feel them and they feel me. We know each other’s location and feel each other’s moods well enough that Raksura keep asking if we can talk in each other’s heads. I don’t know what would happen if a consort left a Raksura court to bond with me instead.”

“Suppose we’ll find out the hard way,” Moon said. “What about your rulers? Will they resent being replaced?”

“They can’t be what I need. It’s silly, but they feel they failed me. They would do everything they can to make a consort feel welcome and comfortable. They would be, ah, like warriors who want to be favorites.” 

Moon nodded absently. It was a groundling habit he’d never quite shaken off. He had nothing else to say, and neither did she, so he jumped down to the ground and walked away.


	6. Chapter 6 - Shade

Chapter 6  
Shade

Shade waited for Moon to get into earshot before he began scolding. “What did you say to her? She’s not cheered up at all!”

Moon looked back at him sourly. “You want to go try?”

“You think I wouldn’t? I’ll go.”

Keth eyed Shade warily. “Is that allowed?”

“Are you sure it’s a good idea?” Flicker asked. 

“Moon will be watching, so it’s fine,” Shade assured them both. “Right?”

Moon sighed and made a vague ‘go ahead’ gesture.

There were roughly a hundred people who could see Consolation’s every move right now, Moon included, so that ought to be enough to satisfy propriety. So Shade climbed up on the roof and sat as close to Consolation as he dared. 

Almost immediately, a large male warrior started moving purposefully in their direction, probably coming to pick a fight about whether he was allowed to sit next to a foreign queen. That unfamiliar warrior had to be one of Ivory’s.

Shade didn’t have to do anything about it, however, because Moon appeared in the warrior’s path, backed by Flicker. Shade deliberately turned away, both because he didn’t need to see the confrontation to know who was going to walk away with low spines, and because he didn’t want to draw Consolation’s attention to it if it had escaped her notice. 

“I thought you were impressive,” Shade said as an opening gambit. “You evaluated their relation before deciding whether to kill them or not, didn’t you? You wanted to know if they cared for each other. And you did that while fighting for your life. That one wasn’t a naïve queen like Whirlwind.”

Young queens usually liked it when consorts praised their fighting prowess but Consolation failed to respond at all. Maybe she was too secure in her power, in her strength, to care about such praise. 

Shade tried another approach. “You wanted that consort that badly? Even though there’s Breeze at home who desperately wants to attract your attention?”

“His birthqueen will never approve,” Consolation said listlessly. 

“If Onyx doesn’t respect the rules she agreed to, Breeze will petition to be disowned and I’ll back his request. Then he can do wherever he wants.”

Consolation finally showed interest, spines lifting from their slump a fraction. “Raksura can do that?”

“It’s as you said. Ultimately, consorts still have the right to choose for themselves. I think Breeze’s interest is genuine.”

“He’s as naïve as his clutchmate. He only thinks this is what he wants.”

Thankfully Shade had some experience talking sense at sulking people. It was an important consort skill. “Why do you say that? Why wouldn’t Breeze be happy in your flight? You’re a great queen.”

“If I’m so great, why don’t you want me?”

The hurt in her voice was so raw that Shade impulsively touched her wrist and said, “I do like you.” He immediately regretted saying it. It was true, but perhaps he shouldn’t have said so. He hastily added, “But it’s complicated.”

Consolation looked at him, a little wild-eyed. “You like me?”

Uh oh. Flustered now, Shade said, “No. Yes. Listen, I can’t be your consort—”

Her gaze had fallen to rest on his hand. “Please leave. You smell too good to sit this close to me.”

Shade fled. 

He tried to find somewhere private to be flustered in, but as soon as he tried to hide in an empty hut, Moon followed, demanding, “What did she say to you?”

It took him a few tries to squeak it out because it was incredibly embarrassing. “She said she was having trouble controlling herself because I smell too good.”

“Huh.” Instead of getting angry at Consolation or poking fun at Shade’s embarrassment, Moon sat down cross-legged on the bare ground with a thoughtful expression. “Jade said something like that to me once. I was the only consort around, but still. Being wanted has power.”

“Yes,” Shade whispered. He sat down to lean into Moon, grateful that someone understood. “Would you hate me, if I let her take me?”

“What?” Moon wrapped an arm about Shade, squeezing fiercely. “You can do whatever you want. As long as you’re sure you want it.”

“How did you know you truly wanted Jade?”

Moon grimaced. “My choice was between Jade and a home in her court or nothing at all. That’s not your case. I suppose… If you want her, you will yearn for her. You won’t be afraid of her, though you might be afraid for other reasons. There’s…things you might have to work through.” Moon was silent as moment, probably dwelling on the awful Fell memories they shared. “The only good advice I have for you is; take your time. You can afford to. And make the decision that’s best for you, not anyone else.”

“Okay. Thank you.” Shade shut his eyes, not any less troubled but at least feeling supported. He wasn’t afraid of Consolation. Hadn’t been for a while now. And the yearning… He had yearned to go to Consolation when she looked so sad, so dejected. But still, still…

*

Flying back to the Reaches seemed to take forever. They were tired and slow, many bearing at least light injuries. The seriously injured were carried in a Fell sac, but a nice Fell sac, which was more like a giant hammock carried in rotation by the kethel and the stronger warriors. Stone flew ahead most days, finding adequate camping sites and spotting food sources before everybody else arrived.

Moon and Shade had few opportunities for private conversation on the trip but that didn’t much matter because neither of them seemed to have anything else to say. Shade’s thoughts chased each other round and round without getting anywhere. He gave up trying to think his way through his feelings and just watched Consolation flying. 

At night he was a proper consort who sat with his family relations and stayed out of the way of the warriors arranging camps and meals. He only occasionally stared across to where Consolation and her flight camped and tried instead to amuse himself by watching that large male warrior avoid Moon at all cost. 

“Whatever did you two do to him?” Shade inquired of Flicker.

“Oh, him? He had the stupidity to claim you were being an embarrassment to the court. Moon did the murder face and offered to rip his wings off if he didn’t shut his mouth. I would just have threatened to repeat his words to Malachite, but Moon’s way worked too. Your half-clutchmate is a little overprotective, isn’t he?”

Shade smiled. “You could say that. I think he takes after his birthqueen.”

*

The day they arrived at the edge of the Reaches, they took an extended break so everybody could drink from a cool gurgling stream and the hammock carriers could switch out.

Moon came to Shade and said, “Stone and I are going to split here. If he carries me we’ll be home faster. Sorry it’s so abrupt but with Pearl’s condition…”

“I understand,” Shade said. “Be sure to write and let me know when the clutch is born.”

Moon watched him. “Would you prefer I go back to Opal Night for a while? I could talk Stone into going home alone.”

“I’ll be fine. Thank you. Go see to your court, First Consort.”

Moon rolled his eyes, but Shade thought he secretly liked being reminded that he was the foremost consort in Indigo Cloud. Moon held an important place in his court and, despite his obvious insecurities, that place was important to him. 

Shade was a little sad to watch Stone and Moon leave, but also a little relieved. Malachite might be overprotective in her way, but she didn’t smother him in her concern the way Moon did. She hadn’t said anything about his conversation with Consolation, but she was absolutely aware of it—along with everybody else. Shade felt watched and he itched to hide in his bower. 

They arrived home to find nearly the entire court waiting for them. Even Onyx, who made a dry comment as if disappointed they had come back alive, was clearly dying to know everything that had happened. 

Shade went to Breeze first, because he had more reason than the others to be anxious for news.

“We didn’t bring back any new consort,” Shade said immediately. “There was one, but turns out he had a queen clutchmate and preferred to stay with her. So Consolation let him go.”

Breeze dove to make tea. “Tell me everything!”

Shade did. Even that bit at the end that had left him flustered. This…this was a thing you told other consorts, not your warrior favorites. Warriors wouldn’t understand. 

“I don’t know what I think about her anymore,” Shade said by way of conclusion.

“I think it’d be perfect if Consolation could take us both,” Breeze said where he lay with his chin propped on his crossed arms. “It would make Onyx feel better if I weren’t alone. It would make me feel better. I can handle it if the rulers hate me, but it would be harder. And also… I worry we wouldn’t be fully compatible.”

Shade frowned. “What do you mean?”

“We don’t have any proof that all Raksura consorts can crossbreed with Fell easily. I talked with the mentors and they agree it’s a possible concern. If I couldn’t give Consolation a clutch, she’d be so disappointed I’d die of shame. With two consorts, surely there would be some clutches. And when there’s royal clutches, it takes consorts to raise them. I’m sure they try very hard, but I’m not convinced a bunch of dakti know how to raise proper queens and consorts. They’ll need help, a lot of it.”

Shade was left surprised Breeze had put so much thought into his future plans, and a little ashamed he was surprised. Breeze had already proven that he had a sharp mind. He wasn’t at all wrong either; two consorts would do better than one.

*

Shade couldn’t decide whether to look at Malachite or away. He also couldn’t figure out why he’d come to see her in her bower like this, in private. Moon had told him to take his time, so why had he rushed here?

Malachite spoke first. “You’ve decided, then?”

“Can I decide? Is this allowable?” 

“I would approve the match, if you wanted it.”

“I… I don’t know.” He glanced at her then away again. “My heart wants one thing but my mind is scared my heart is making the biggest mistake there is.”

Malachite rumbled in amusement, a sound rare and precious. “Ah, child. If you could talk to your sire he would tell you all young consorts feel that way when they choose a queen, especially when it’s a foreign queen. Some consorts prefer their birthqueen or clutchmates to make the decision for precisely this reason.”

Shade sat there, utterly floored. Malachite hardly ever talked about her lost consort. She had told him a little about Dusk, when he had asked long ago, but it had obviously been so painful for her that he hadn’t asked again. And here she was mentioning him with fondness instead of pain or rage. 

Afraid to ruin this rare mood, Shade crawled over to settle against her bulk. Then, timidly, he asked, “If you had to arrange a match for me, would you pick her?”

“Consolation would not be wrong for you,” Malachite said. “She would not shame you or be ashamed by you if your behavior diverged in any way from the ideal of a Raksura consort. She would treasure you and honor you, like she honors the memory of her sire. She understands loneliness and that some wounds cut deep, yet leave no physical trace. She would both take care of you and rely on you for help and support.”

That…that did not sound like an opinion made up on the spot. That sounded like the product of lengthy consideration and much observation. How long ago had Malachite started evaluating Consolation’s potential as a queen for him? 

Shade huddled against Malachite’s side, closing his eyes. He felt like he was jumping off a suspended platform without knowing if his wings worked or not. “If you think we’re a suitable match… then yes. Yes. I’ll take her.”

*

Once the news got out, it spread like fire on dry kindling. A parade of people started appearing at his bower, asking if it was true, if he was sure. His friends among the Arbora were concerned, but willing to be reassured. There were congratulations, especially from the younger, excitable consorts.

Lithe came and peered into his eyes so intently he started wondering if she was checking him for Fell influence. But finally she smiled and hugged him. “The vision we saw must be about your children. I didn’t expect that!”

Shade blinked rapidly, unwilling to admit he’d all but forgotten about the augury. 

“I’ll miss you,” Lithe added, “but I suppose I can visit. And I’ll have to go help for the clutching, won’t I?” She looked happy at the idea. 

When someone asked if Flicker was going too, Shade glared at them. He hadn’t dared ask. No consort had the right to pressure their favorite warriors to leave their birth court to go into the unknown. Some chose to go. Most didn’t. 

Flicker scoffed. “Of course I’m going. They’d probably let him go around pouring tea for everyone all the time. Someone has to stop him.” Shade tried to say something but Flicker glared him down and said, “Don’t you start either!”

The last visitor to come was Breeze, creeping in during the night. “I wanted to come and wish you good luck,” he whispered. “I wish I could be present but Onyx is only approving this match because Whirlwind suggested I will be angry to lose my chance to be a queen’s first consort and will therefore be more open to a queen more to their liking.”

“Why would Whirlwind say that?” Shade asked suspiciously. 

“As an apology to me. I think she’s starting to hope Consolation will take me so she can request to be adopted in and become an important sister-queen instead of a minor daughter-queen in a huge court.” 

“Huh. Would Consolation take her?”

“I don’t know. But Whirlwind wouldn’t be competition; she vastly prefers female warriors over consorts.” Breeze looked out. “I better go before someone sees me. I’m going to pretend to sulk all day tomorrow. Good luck!”

“I don’t think any of that is necessary,” Shade said to Flicker as he climbed in the hanging bed, “but I do admire his commitment.”

“You are sure about this, though?” Flicker asked he as absently began to play with Shade’s hair.

“Do I seem unsure?”

“No, but… It’s a big commitment.”

“You don’t have to come.”

Flicker hissed at him. “That’s not what I’m getting at!”

“I know. I just mean…I won’t drag you into something you don’t want. But I’d be very glad to have you with me.” Shade patted Flicker’s arm until he subsided. “I’m as sure as I can be.”

*

Early the next morning Shade was summoned to First Consort Umber’s bower. Shade went somewhat warily. What could Onyx’s consort want with him?

Umber didn’t even bother with tea, going straight to the heart of the matter. “I realize I paid too little attention to you in the past and I apologize for it. If there’s anyone who coerced or goaded you into this, tell me now.” 

Was that a dig at Malachite or was Umber worried some of his consort children had behaved inappropriately? Umber had put the full weight of his authority in his words so that Shade would have found it nearly impossible to lie. Thankfully he had nothing to hide. 

“Thank you for your concern,” Shade said. “But I want this. I think.”

Umber raised an eyebrow. “You think?”

“I’m told it’s normal to be a little scared when choosing a foreign queen.”

“True enough,” Umber allowed. “So Breeze had nothing to with this?”

“I wouldn’t quite say that, but my decision is my own.”

“Mm.” After watching him a moment, Umber seemed to put aside his suspicion and relax. “Good. I’m glad Breeze won’t be alone.” Catching’s Shade’s startled expression, Umber added, “He’s supposedly sulking in his bower at the moment, which I don’t believe at all. I know my child. He wouldn’t change his mind over such a petty thing as being a queen’s second consort, whatever some queens might believe.”

“And you’ll let him get away with his scheme?”

“You’ve met him,” Umber said drily. “He needs grounding. The heavy responsibility of helping a new, struggling colony is just the thing to occupy his mind. Since the queens can’t seem to decide when to allow the youngsters to start a seed colony, this will have to do.”

Shade couldn’t argue with any of that, but he had another concern. “You don’t mind your bloodline being blended with Fell?”

“We all have Fell in us,” Umber said philosophically. “You have more than most and you’re doing quite well.”

Shade went away wondering when he’d gone from a tolerated aberration to some sort of model Raksura-Fell cross.

*

Shade stared across the heating pit at a Fell ruler who seemed not much more comfortable than he was. He didn’t know whose idea this had been, that he should talk to one of the rulers before he chose to join the Fell flight, but Flicker probably had something to do with it. He could be a sneaky warrior at times. Shade couldn’t deny that it was a good idea, but he didn’t have to like it.

He groped for something to say. “You’re not the one who came before, to talk to Malachite.” 

“He’s younger and he was scared of coming back here alone.”

Shade did not challenge the “younger” part but to his eye both rulers were awfully young. It helped, to think of Consolation’s rulers as very young. They hadn’t had time to do many terrible things in their lives yet, like forcing stolen consorts to eat dead groundling. Silence stretched as Shade struggled to put his bad memories where they belonged, behind him. 

“Someone said,” the ruler said carefully, “that you are considering becoming our queen’s mate.”

The warriors must have blabbed, as usual. 

“I am,” Shade said, watching for a reaction. 

“We will defer to you, Consort,” the ruler said, tilting his head to expose his throat in submission. “Nobody will challenge your position.”

Shade’s gut sank as he considered what a Fell might mean by that. He didn’t want to be a dictatorial first consort, obeyed without question. That would be a lonely and terrible way to live. 

Something of his thoughts must have shown on his face because the ruler added, a little desperately, “We will provide anything you need as best we can.”

It was difficult to think of a way to explain what he wanted. “You’ve travelled with Raksura. You’ve seen how we act with each other. Is that something I could have with your flight?”

The ruler sounded doubtful. “You Raksura slap each other in the head a lot.”

Shade was startled into a laugh. “Well, perhaps not so much the head slaps. But the friendliness. The arguments, even. Respect is good, but that alone won’t make me happy. I need a family.”

If anything, the ruler sounded even more doubtful when he answered, “We can try.”

“If I came, I would bring my favorite warrior,” Shade said. “Would that be a problem?”

“We would welcome him. Favorites take care of consorts, yes? We don’t know how to take care of consorts.”

Weirdly, Shade felt reassured. Here was a Fell ruler who didn’t try to make false promises. Who would have thought that could happen? 

“You’re not like the rulers I’ve met before.”

The ruler’s expression didn’t change as he said, “That’s why I’m still alive, unlike my sire.”

Shade didn’t try to hide his wince. It was known that the rulers of a normal Fell flight cared for each other, moreso than the dakti and kethel seemed able, or allowed, to. He just…hadn’t considered the implications.

“I’m sorry,” Shade said quietly. “That must have been hard.”

“It’s the past. It doesn’t matter.”

Some lies were best left unchallenged, so Shade said nothing. 

Possibly feeling awkward, or afraid that he was ruining his queen’s chances with Shade, the ruler hastily pulled a bundle from behind him and pushed it forward. “For you, Consort. From my queen.”

A courting gift. His first ever courting gift. He unwrapped it with care.

It was a book titled _Consolation’s Flight_. Shade unrolled it to find that someone with an unsteady hand, an unpracticed hand, had written it. The beginning went, _There was once a Fell flight like any other flight. But this flight’s progenitor bore a daughter who was half Raksura and this new sort of progenitor, this new queen, was not like any other…_

The ruler stared at him a little too intently for comfort. “That is our story. Our queen wishes you to know it.”

“Thank you,” Shade said. “I wish to know it, too.”

The ruler rose from his cushion, evidently considering their business concluded. His full teacup, long cold, sat abandoned on the ground. 

“Wait,” Shade said, rising as well. “What’s your name?” Unlike most dakti and kethel, rulers always seemed to have names. 

The answer came grudgingly. “Maelin.” 

“Who names rulers? Progenitors?”

“Rulers name their ruler offspring,” Maelin said. When Shade added nothing more, he left.

Shade considered his courting gift. The past _did_ matter, even to Fell.

*

The protocol to offer a consort to an ally was, all told, quite simple. Put the allied queen, the consort, and the consort’s birthqueen or queenly clutchmate, in one room. Do it over tea, because it is civilized and not because anybody there will drink any of it.

There was no rule to keep other people out, but Onyx had declined to attend and Malachite hadn’t allowed anyone else in other than Celadon. Shade didn’t have a close relationship with Celadon, but she was still the closest thing he had to a queenly clutchmate and he appreciate that she took the time to give him a wrist-squeeze of support. 

Shade was grateful for the lack of audience because he felt absolutely petrified. 

Consolation also looked petrified. They stared at each other, wild-eyed, and hardly heard anything Malachite or Celadon said. 

Celadon finally took the step of giving Consolation a gentle slap to the head. “I know you haven’t heard a thing I said, so I’m going to summarize. Opal Night is offering you, Consolation, the consort Shade from Malachite’s line. If you accept him, you will be expected to do your best by him, and by us. Are you willing?”

“I…yes.”

“Shade, are you willing?”

“Ah, yes.”

They kept staring at each other.

“You may take him now,” Celadon said helpfully.

“I don’t know how,” Consolation said. 

Malachite’s voice was almost amused as she instructed, “Follow your instincts. You’re a queen and you want him. Lean in, and take him.”

Consolation leaned in, putting her face in the crook of Shade’s neck. He quivered at her touch, and nearly yelped as she bit him possessively. 

“There,” Celadon said, breathing in. “That’s done it.”

Shade almost said something brain dead like “I don’t feel any different” but of course he didn’t. The scent marker was meant to warn off other queens and there was no reason for him to notice it. Still, the knowledge it was there formed a knot in his stomach. He glanced at Malachite, helplessly. 

“I won’t be far, child,” Malachite said.

Shade met Consolation’s gaze and reached out to take her wrist. She put her free hand on top of his and said, shyly, “Will you come see our colony now?”

“I…yes. Yes.”

*  
**Moon**

Heart greeted their arrival with the message, “Pearl and Jade want to see you right away.”

Moon winced. “How angry are they?”

“Pearl is furious,” Heart said. “Try to make the fight sound boring so she doesn’t mind missing it.”

“Wait…she’s furious because she couldn’t come? Not because we went?”

“Pearl enjoys fighting alongside Malachite. You going off without talking to her about it first is what _Jade _is angry about.”__

__Moon sighed. “I knew it.”_ _

__Heart patted his arm. “Welcome home.”_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm turning the last scene into a small epilogue, so there'll be one more chapter.


	7. Epilogue: Shade

**Epilogue  
Shade**

A ruler wiped around the corner. “The babies are coming!” he yelled, like this was a terrible and horrifying thing. “Hurry!”

Shade started handing Third’s babies back to their dakti caretakers. He’d come down here in an effort to de-stress but he’d apparently chosen the wrong moment to do so. “I’m coming!” 

They ran, leapt, and flew their way to the top of the colony tree, where the queens’ level was. Consolation’s Flight wasn’t very large and there was a lot of empty space to cross. The Raksura court that had once lived here hadn’t lasted long enough to carve much more than the entrance and greeting hall areas so the dakti were painstakingly trying to liven up the many bare walls by carving repeating patterns into them. The dakti didn’t seem to have the skill or interest to carve depictions of themselves, the way Arbora liked to do, but patterns of interlocking squares or endless flower links pleased the eye well enough. 

Shade and Maelin stopped by Consolation’s bower, breathing hard. 

“What if something goes wrong?” Maelin said as soon as he had the breath for it. “It was so hard for Third, even though the babies were all tiny dakti. These will be bigger!”

Shade took the ruler’s wrist and spoke with all the authority he could muster. “Lithe is here. It will be fine. Now calm down or you’ll rile Consolation up. Be calm for her.” 

Shade could feel Consolation a little, and vise-versa, but it was nothing like the deep bond the other Fell had with her, especially the rulers. Shade had thought Raksura moods contagious, but it was nothing compared to these Fell. With the flight constantly feeling each other’s moods, and without a progenitor ruthlessly suppressing their minds, they had to be careful not to contaminate each other. Shade finally understood why Fell were by nature slow to experience or express feelings. 

The whole flight had been aware of Consolation’s pain ever since her contractions started and they were not taking it well. They trusted Consolation to win in battle, or to call upon them to back her, but this was an enemy they could do nothing about. The recent news that an Opal Night Arbora had died, bled to death during a birth gone horrible wrong, wasn’t helping anybody’s nerves. 

The ruler took deep breath until his calm returned. Shade had never known Fell could be frenzied with worry until he watched an entire flight flip out over their queen’s first clutch. Third’s clutching had generated some anxiety and unease, but the stakes hadn’t been nearly so high. 

Once they were calm and composed, they walked in to sit by Consolation, not too close to avoid getting in the way. Breeze and Lithe were both there, hands on Consolation’s belly. Consolation snarled at them all but nobody reacted because she’d been like that a while. 

“They’re definitively moving down,” Lithe said. “You need to crouch and push and I’ll pull them out as they come.”

For a moment Consolation looked more likely to claw at Lithe than listen to her. Breeze ran a hand lightly down Consolation’s back and said, in a reasonable consort way, “It’s usually easier in a crouch. Faster.”

That was why Breeze was over there and Shade wasn’t; he didn’t feel able to be calm and reasonable right now. He sat rigidly and tried to keep himself calm first. The two rulers were statues at his sides, still and watchful. 

Consolation suddenly jerked and moved into a crouch in a hurry. 

Lithe put her hands down just in time to catch the first babe. “Good! Keep pushing!”

“I wasn’t planning on stopping,” Consolation gritted out. She panted with effort while each tiny baby was taken out of her, cleaned up, and given over to one of the consorts or rulers in the room. 

“They’re all well?” Consolation asked. She had collapsed in a heap after the last birth, her relief so profound even Shade felt it wash over him, amplifying his own.

“All well,” Lithe confirmed. She held the last baby, having handed off the others to Breeze, Shade, and the two rulers, who looked alarmed to be holding these tiny creatures. 

“Are these queens?” the younger ruler ventured. “They’re not much bigger than Third’s babies.”

“I can’t tell yet if they’re going to be queens, consorts, rulers, kethels, or somewhere in between,” Lithe said. “But you’re holding a female so that’s a good sign for a queen. The others are all male. Time will tell.”

Shade moved over to Consolation, cuddling one of the little males close. The overwhelming feeling of protectiveness he felt defied description. He would fight anything and anyone to protect this baby. 

“Are you hungry?” Shade asked. “Someone could bring food.” There were always dakti eavesdropping in the hallway and one of them would take the hint. Flicker and Topaz were probably also nearby and almost certainly being interrogated about royal clutches again. The dakti were very anxious.

“In a bit,” Consolation said, eyes closed. She looked content, though exhausted, and it made Shade’s heart glad. “Where’s First?”

“Keeping an eye on things while you’re incapacitated,” Shade said, which was a diplomatic way of saying that First was trying to keep the others from breaking into mass hysteria. Consolation would feel that and it would interfere with her rest. 

“Why is everybody upset?” Consolation suddenly asked, cracking an eye open in worry. Maybe she hadn’t had the spare attention to notice before. 

“Because you were hurting,” Shade said. “Don’t worry; they’ll settle down now that it’s over.”

“Okay.” 

“Do you want to name the clutch now?”

“Ugg. No more naming,” Consolation said. “You do it.” She sank back down and was quickly asleep. 

“She’ll change her mind when she wakes up,” Breeze said dryly. “Better wait.” He had meanwhile been arranging the babies in a nest; he took the last male from Shade and settled him down with his clutchmates. 

“I think she won’t,” Shade replied. “She really hates naming.”

He felt a little guilty because it was his fault; when he’d first gotten here he’d found out only some of the dakti had taken names for themselves. He’d encouraged the rest to get names and they’d asked how Raksura babies got theirs. After he answered, the dakti had come to the conclusion that since their progenitor and sires were long gone, only Consolation could provide them with names. One of them came forward every other day for this. Consolation hated it, but she did it anyway because it was a thing her flight needed from her.

When the food came, mostly meat sliced thin for quick eating, Shade set it nearby so his queen could dig in when she awoke. His queen. He still marveled at that. His queen, and now his clutch. He went to fuss with the babies, too, trying to think of names to suggest. He was no stranger to newborn babies, given the size of Opal Night’s nurseries, but he marveled anew at how small they were, how soft, how wonderful. What names would befit these tiny wonders?

“It’s too bad we don’t know Consolation’s sire’s name,” Breeze murmured, almost as if reading Shade’s mind. “Do you think Malachite would mind if we named one after your sire?”

“I think she’d like it.” 

“Then the firstborn can be Dusk. What next? Sunset? Dawn?”

“Moonlight,” Shade offered as a nod to his half-clutchmate. 

Breeze hesitated, considering the little female. “And her?”

“Hope,” the youngest ruler suggested. He was alone, his elder having left the room either to go help First manage the flight or to spread the news of a safe and successful clutching. 

Shade considered the suggestion. “That would be a heavy name to bear if she isn’t a queen. Let’s not put too many expectations on her. Sunrise, perhaps?” 

The ruler inclined his head in that peculiar way that meant half “I agree” and half “I defer to you.” Shade hadn’t yet worked out if this was normal Fell body language or something they did just for him. 

Lithe, looking down at the nest intently, sucked in a breath. Everybody glanced at her in alarm. 

“What? What’s wrong?” Breeze demanded.

Lithe’s face bloomed into a smile. “This is it. The vision. It’s this clutch we saw.”

“Are you sure?” Shade teased. “Because there’ll be more.”

“Not _soon_ ,” Consolation said crankily, wincing as she tried to reach for the food. “Not unless _you_ want to carry them.”

Shade laughed, and went to assist his queen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading!


End file.
